The JSE opened flat in thin trade on Monday, as gold shares rallied on a weaker dollar and general retailers retreated on weakness in Woolworths and Steinhoff.Woolworths said in a trading update that group sales for the first 26 weeks of the 2018 financial year to December 24 increased 2.5% over the prior period and 2.9% in constant currency terms. It expects earnings to drop up to 20% for the interim period.Steinhoff lost ground amid indications that it might face further class-action suits from disgruntled investors. The share price has dropped 91% since December.The gold price was up 0.32% to $1,341.52 an ounce, near a four-month high.The gold price has been benefiting from a weaker dollar on expectations that the European Central Bank (ECB) would reduce its easing policies at a quicker pace.This would lead to eventual interest-rate increases amid upbeat economic growth in the eurozone, at a time when the US Federal Reserve might take a more measured approach in its own normalisa...
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