Mining shares lead South African stocks sharply lower

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African stocks ended sharply lower on Monday, with mining shares taking the most points off the main indexes as commodity prices tumbled and Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) issued a profit warning. Amplats shares slumped 3.36 percent to 359.99 rand after the firm said annual profit likely fell by at least 20 percent due to this year's five-month strike. Falling commodity prices, following weak economic data from China, added to the pressure on Amplats' shares and also hit stocks in rivals such as Impala Platinum and Lonmin, which fell between 1 and 2 percent. "The Chinese with very average numbers this morning -- HSBC PMI barely above growth territory -- have seen a broader commodities complex slide," Sasha Naryshkine, an analyst at Vestact, said in a note. The benchmark JSE Top-40 index was down 2.19 percent to 43,236 and the broader All-share index dropped 2.11 percent to 48,858. Trade was robust, with 250 million shares changing hands, compared with last year's daily average of 176 million shares. Other decliners were mobile phone group MTN Group, down 4.38 percent to 208.62 rand as the Nigerian naira, the currency of its biggest market, slid to a record low on the back falling oil prices. Also taking a hit from oil prices, Sasol plunged 6.81 percent to 430.50 rand. Sasol makes fuel from coal and gas but sells at it at the same price as the companies that refine imported crude oil. Among the gainers, Winhold Ltd surged 11.9 percent to 47 cents after the investment holding firm said full-year profit rose by nearly a third.