The JSE gave up earlier gains to close marginally in the red on Friday as sharply weaker platinum counters and a weak Dow added pressure.

By 5pm, the JSE all share index was down just 0.08 percent, with resources collecting 0.77 percent. However, platinum miners fell 4.78 percent and gold miners edged down 0.72 percent.

Banks gave up 0.68 percent, financials were off 0.58 percent, and industrials weakened 0.81 percent.

The rand was last bid at 9.99 to the dollar, from 10.14 when the JSE closed on Thursday, and gold was quoted at $937.75/oz a troy ounce from $942.55 at the JSE's last close. Platinum was at $1057/oz from its previous close of $1064 and Brent crude was at $45.76 from its previous close of $46.03.

"US futures have been drifting lower throughout the day and that has led to our market losing some momentum," a trader said.

"Platinum counters have come off and resources have given back a lot of ground."

"There is still a lot of negativity and uncertainty regarding this stimulus plan and whether it will help or not," he added.

Dow Jones Newswires reports US stocks moved lower on Friday as continued uncertainty about the government's economic plans weighed on the financial sector.

Stocks closed virtually flat on Thursday after a deep intraday slide evaporated in the final hour of trading on reports the US government was working on a plan to subsidise mortgage payments.

Markets often gyrated wildly late in the day in the fourth quarter, when hedge funds and other big institutional investors were facing widespread redemption requests. But trading had been relatively more stable recently.

The DJIA was last down 0.71 percent.

On the JSE, resources giant Anglo American collected 50 cents to 185 rand and BHP Billiton put on 4.90 percent to 182.07 rand.

Petrochemicals group Sasol gave up 2.20 rand to 272 rand.

Paper group Sappi weakened 2.78 percent to 28 rand and Mondi fell 4.23 percent to 25.60 rand.

ArcelorMittal was down 4.53 percent to 79.74 rand, Kumba Iron Ore lost 3.39 percent to 168 rand and Highveld Steel was down 1.93 percent to 58.84 rand.

Among gold miners, AngloGold Ashanti was unchanged at 298 rand, Gold Fields was down 1.31 percent to 112.01 rand and Harmony weakened 1.90 percent to 118.01 rand.

Platinum miner Anglo Platinum plummeted 9.63 percent to 403.05 rand and Impala was down 2.54 percent to 128.50 rand.

In diversified miners, African Rainbow was unchanged at 130 rand while Exxaro gave up 2.90 rand, or 3.95 percent, to 70.50 rand.

Among industrials, brewer SABMiller was up 1.42 percent to 161.25 rand, Barloworld added 3.87 percent to 37.60 rand and Remgro collected 1.16 percent to 75.87 rand.

However, Bidvest lost 3.93 percent to 95.01 rand and Tiger Brands shed 2.09 percent to 128.75 rand.

Among banks, Nedbank gave up 2.21 percent to 88 rand and FirstRand was off 1.24 percent to 14.30 rand.

Old Mutual fell 1.52 percent to 7.76 rand and Sanlam was down 1.15 percent to 16.36 rand.

RMB Holdings lost 5.11 percent to 22.30 rand and Investec gave up 1.60 percent to 37 rand.

Liberty Holdings eased 35 cents to 67.90 rand. It earlier said that its basic and headline earnings per share for the 12 months ended December 2008 were expected to be between 25 percent and 35 percent lower than that reported in 2007.

Liberty Group HEPS are expected to be between 45 percent and 55 percent lower than that reported in 2007, the company said.

Sugar group Illovo added 1.85 percent to 27.50 rand.

Media group Naspers weakened 1.66 percent to 160.30 rand and Avusa lost 3.03 percent to 16 rand.

Retailer Pick n Pay shed 3.82 percent to 32.70 rand, Shoprite was down 3.79 percent to 51.75 rand, Steinhoff weakened 1.60 percent to 12.30 rand and Mr Price was off 1.19 percent to 25 rand.

Construction group Aveng gave up 5.36 percent to 26.50 rand. The group said earlier it had agreed to pay an administrative penalty of R46.3-million to the Competition Commission after the latter found that one of its business units, Infraset, had contravened the Competition Act in relation to certain of its concrete products.

The commission found that Infraset was party to price fixing, market allocation and collusive tendering in the markets for concrete pipes and culverts in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.

Group Five lost 3.26 percent to 29.70 rand and Murray & Roberts was off 5.88 percent to 40 rand.

The group earlier advised that diluted headline earnings per share for the six months to 31 December 2008 is expected to show an increase of between 35 percent and 40 percent over the 216 cents recorded in the previous comparable period.

Diluted earnings per share for the half-year are expected to show an increase of between 30 percent and 35 percent over the 230 cents recorded in the same period.

Cement manufacturer Pretoria Portland Cement shed 1.72 percent to 31.45 rand.

Packaging group Nampak lost 5.02 percent to 13.06 rand.

Among telecommunications groups, MTN Group gave up 1.36 percent to 94.50 rand and Telkom was off 1.15 rand to 115.85 rand.

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