The JSE closed firmer in a day of volatile trade following a sharp fall in the rand which supported rand hedges, as retailers and banks retreated in risk-off trade. Platinums were sharply weaker on a lower metal price. In a dramatic turnaround, the rand slid nearly 3% to the dollar and weakened sharply to the euro and the pound — a development that usually favours larger industrial stocks that command a big weighting in the all-share index. The rand weakened mainly on a developing bribery scandal in Brazil, centred around President Michel Temer, but speculation was that the rand weakness could also relate to the Moody’s credit rating announcement, expected later in the month. The all share closed 0.36% higher at 54,197.10 points and the blue-chip top 40 rose 0.56%. Resources climbed 0.64% and industrials 0.55%. Platinums dropped 2.08%, general retailers 1.55%, food and drug retailers 0.79%, and the gold index 0.77%. BHP Billiton added 1.89% to R207.61 and Anglo American 0.94% to R18...
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