The JSE opened weaker on Thursday ahead of the Freedom Day long weekend, as Naspers retreated, with platinum stocks on the back foot.Business Day reported the platinum industry was facing a bloodbath due to mine closures and job losses. The industry employs about 170,000 people.The platinum price was flat at $911.45/oz. The rand firmed to R12.37 to the dollar from R12.4395.Resources took a breather as oil prices rebounded with rand hedges mixed on the rand.Brent crude was up 0.28% at $74.247 a barrel.Chinese internet company Tencent was down in early-morning trade on the Hang Seng, pulling down Naspers on continued negative sentiment toward tech stocks. Naspers owns 31.2% of Tencent.The Dow closed 0.25% up to 24,083.83 points in choppy trade. After the close, Facebook reported earnings beating forecasts, as revenue jumped 49%.The Nikkei 225 rose 0.47%, but the Hang Seng lost 1.38% in Hong Kong trade.At 9.13am the all share was 0.23% lower at 56,856.80 and the top 40 fell 0.22%. The ...
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