Industrial index up 1,25pc

driven by gains in Hwange Colliery.
Trading activity dropped by 62 percent to US$1,2 million from about US$3,25 million a day earlier and was below September’s daily average of US$1,5 million.
After trades, Econet Wireless rose US3c to US491c. Delta Corporation, the first company to breach the US$1 billion mark, gained US2,35c to US90c and Innscor Africa Limited gained US2c to US80c.
Old Mutual inched a cent up to US166c and Ariston added US44c to US1,50c. CBZ Holdings gained US39c to close at US11c.
On Wednesday, there was a special bargain of 20 million CBZ shares at US11c. Zimplow Limited advanced US30c to settle at US5,30c. On the downward side was Rainbow Tourism Group which retreated US2c to US1,8c.
Truworths hit another new year to date low of US2,85c after giving up US1c while the possibility of Government’s failure to pay bonuses to civil servants may affect clothing retailers.
Interfresh was buyers only at US1c after publishing a cautionary statement yesterday while Seed Co traded at US95c as the Zimbabwe seed industry indicated that the country had adequate grains requirement for the 2012/13 agricultural season.
Hwange was the only mining stock to trade in the positive, after advancing US5c to US18,5c.
Hwange announced it has participated in the Hwange District Share Ownership Trust, a broad- based community economic empowerment initiative through provision of social infrastructure such as schools, roads, clinics, boreholes, dams and electrification.
There are five coal mining and processing companies operating in Hwange that will equally contribute to HDSOT’s seed capital of US$10 million to be paid over a period of time.
Hwange Colliery’s contribution is US$2 million.
The company has pledged to pay US$600 000 by December 31, 2012 and the balance of US1,4 million over a period of 36 months.