THE JSE reversed its earlier gains in afternoon trade on Wednesday, dragged lower by steep losses in Sasol following its decision to review its dividend policy.
The all share was off 0.27% to 52,689.98 points, after earlier reaching a record high, and the blue-chip top 40 index slipped 0.22%.
Gold miners shed 1.75%, extending their losing run to five days in a row amid the lower gold price environment.
"The simplest explanation for the latest weakness in the gold price ... is a combination of fading demand for safehavens and growing expectations that US interest rates will be raised this year after all," Capital Economics analysts wrote in a note.
Major European share markets were mostly higher, with the Paris CAC 40 index in France rallying 0.78%, while US stock futures indicated a positive opening on Wall Street later in the day.
Sasol was the main drag on the top 40 index — dropping a whopping 8.49% to R432.96 — after the petrochemical giant said it was reviewing its progressive dividend policy in light of the lower oil price environment.
Diversified miners, which have fared reasonably well this month, were mixed in the current session. Anglo American lifted 2.69% to R225.80 while African Rainbow Minerals dropped 2.39% to R128.36.
Gold Fields retreated 2.99% to R51.62 while Harmony was down 1.09% to R28.19.
Barclays Africa rose 1.34% to R187.99 while the recently high-flying Woolies gave up 2.09% to R89.30.
Telkom lost 1.19% to R77.35 and Naspers fell 1.01% to R1,627.07.
