The JSE’s food producers index suffered a 3% slump on Friday morning following trading updates from three of its constituents. Recently listed food group Libstar’s share price plunged 24% to R8.52 on Friday morning after it indicated its maiden results as a public company would be far lower than indicated in its prospectus. Libstar said it expected to report on September 4 that its headline earnings per share (HEPS) from continuing operations for the six months to end-June would be about half the 25c reported in the comparative period. Its discontinued operations would contribute a headline loss per share of up to 1.2c. Libstar said its profitability suffered from "a national oversupply of fresh mushrooms and the lower-margin Sonnendal Dairies business acquisition, which has enhanced the group’s yoghurt manufacturing capabilities". Larger rival Tiger Brands continued its slide on Friday morning, losing a further 7.6% to R275.72 following Thursday’s 9% drop after it warned its 2018 f...

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