A gold stocks rally kept the JSE firm by noon on Monday, but banking stocks were lagging.

By noon, the JSE all share index had gained 1.45 percent, with resources collecting 2.58 percent, platinum miners rising 2.99 percent and gold stocks climbing 9.93 percent.

Banks were flat (down 0.05 percent), financials edged up 0.17 percent and industrials collected 0.75 percent.

The rand was last bid at 10.22 to the dollar, from 10.36 when the JSE closed on Friday. Gold was quoted at $900.80/oz a troy ounce from $880.35 at the JSE's last close, and platinum was at $962/oz from its previous close of $955.50.

"We are holding firmly, but there are still areas where the market is looking unsure," a trader said.

"Banking stocks are down and some of the dual listed are still struggling. It's also quite surprising that Sasol shares are not reacting to the stronger oil price."

With the eastern markets being closed, there is obviously not much direction in the market, he said.

"There is still a run for safety and gold stocks are climbing. The dollar has also weakened and that is why these commodity prices are up."

"The uncertainty regarding the state of global economies is there and locally, we will have to wait and see what happens with the inflation indicators out this week," he added.

Dow Jones Newswires reports that London stocks were higher on Monday with Barclays shares surging, taking back a portion of losses made by the lender since the start of the year, with the gains helping the top London share index to advance more than one percent.

The FTSE 100 was last up 1.11 percent.

US stocks are expected to fall sharply at the open, as bearish sentiment continues to weigh on investors who await further details to the Obama administration's economic stimulus package, said Marko Jagustin, trader at GFT Global Markets.

He called the DJIA to open down 70 points and the S&P 500 down 6.5 points.