The JSE ended in the black on Thursday supported by a firm opening on Wall Street and a rally in resource and platinum stocks.

By 5pm, the JSE all share index had collected 0.54 percent, resources gained 2.01 percent and platinum miners added 3.41 percent. However, gold miners eased 0.37 percent.

Banks gave up 2.70 percent and financials weakened 1.91 percent, but industrials were flat, up 0.01 percent.

The rand was last bid at 9.95 to the dollar, from 10.17 when the JSE closed on Wednesday. Gold was quoted at $975.45/oz a troy ounce from $968.20 at the JSE's last close, and platinum was at $1067/oz from its previous close of $1098.50.

"We had a choppy session but managed to hold on to our gains," an equities trader said.

"A firm US opening is also giving us some support and the strong rand has failed to dampen the resource counters.

"The strong copper price is really boosting these resources. Also, there is some bargain hunting after these were beaten down so badly recently," another trader said.

"Banking stocks have come under pressure on the back of continued international uncertainty. It's going to take a while for these to settle down," she said.

"Platinum stocks are up on bargain hunting and people are taking profits in these gold stocks," she added.

Dow Jones Newswires reports that US stocks climbed at the opening bell on Thursday after economic reports on jobless claims and wholesale prices didn't contain any unwelcome surprises.

Wholesale prices rebounded broadly during January, pushing the producer-price index up 0.8 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis - a number that is likely to ease for now worries about disinflation. Deeper in the production pipeline, prices mostly fell, suggesting soft wholesale-price readings in coming months. Prices of raw materials, known as crude goods, slid 2.9 percent on the month.

The number of US workers drawing unemployment benefits for more than a week hit a fresh record high near 5 million in early February, but the level of new claims was unchanged from the previous week. The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the unemployment rate could near 9 percent by the end of the year.

The DJIA was last up 0.65 percent.

Among equity movers on the JSE, resources giant Anglo American was up 3.99 percent to 182.49 rand but BHP Billiton weakened 2.41 percent to 165.90 rand.

Anglo American has sold nearly 20 percent of its minority stake in AngloGold Ashanti, Dow Jones Newswires reported earlier. The sales represent three percent of AngloGold's shares and totalled US$280-million.

Petrochemicals group Sasol put on 1.53 percent to 265 rand.

Paper group Sappi was off 1.82 percent to 26.50 rand but rival Mondi added 2.07 percent to 24.60 rand.

Gold miner AngloGold Ashanti edged up 46 cents to 315.45 rand and Harmony rose 60 cents to 127.30 rand but Goldfields weakened 1.50 percent to 115.90 rand.

Platinum miner Anglo Platinum firmed 2.89 percent to 463 rand and Lonmin was up 1.38 percent to 162.20 rand.

Impala Platinum added 3.64 percent to 142.50 rand. It earlier reported a 14 percent increase in its first half earnings and headline earnings per share to 8.77 rand from 7.71 rand, despite what it said were "extremely challenging market conditions and the enormous change in the pricing environment". Diluted headline earnings per share were 8.76 rand versus 7.70 rand.

Net profit was up 13.5 percent to R5.29-billion in the six months to end December 2008 from R4.66-billion for the same six months a year ago and the company declared an interim dividend of 1.20 rand a share. But both production and cost performance were disappointing.

Gross platinum production declined by 15 percent to 878 000 ounces.

Impala also confirmed it had cut its full year 2009 production target to 1.7 million ounces of platinum from its previous guidance of 1.9 million ounces.

"The current world economy has forced a rethink in short-term strategy of most companies around the world and we are no different," Implats CEO David Brown told I-Net Bridge in an interview. It also noted that it was hoping to avoid job losses at its operations.

In diversified miners African Rainbow gained 6.20 percent to 121.60 rand and Exxaro added 5.30 percent to 70.55 rand but Hulamin weakened 8.48 percent to 9.61 rand.

Mvelaphanda Resources firmed 8.65 percent to 27 rand. The group, which has investments in gold, diamond and platinum companies, earlier reported basic earnings per share of 228 cents for the six months ended December 2008 compared with a loss of 114 cents for the same period a year ago.

Headline earnings per share for the period rose to 1110 cents after a loss of 112 cents before.

Mvelaphanda, which has major investments in Northam Platinum, Gold Fields and Trans Hex, said continued volatility in share prices played a significant role in the bottom line profitability of the group.

Mining holding company Assore jumped 15.38 percent to 375 rand. It earlier reported that its interim headline earnings had lifted 357 percent to R2.98-billion from R651.6-million but cautioned that its second half performance would be significantly affected by world economic downturn.

The company, whose primary asset it's a 50 percent shareholding in South Africa's second-largest iron ore and manganese producer Assmang, said headline earnings per share climbed 416 percent to 124.44 rand in the six months to end December 2008 from 24.13 rand in the same six months a year before.

Elsewhere on the JSE, brewer SABMiller added 2.48 percent to 160 rand and Barloworld put on 3.70 percent to 35.88 rand.

However, Bidvest was down 1.10 percent to 89 rand, Famous Brands lost 4.32 percent to 15.50 rand, Tiger Brands weakened 1.54 percent to 128 rand and Imperial shed 1.01 percent to 51.08 rand.

Among banks Standard Bank shed 3.27 percent to 66.50 rand, Absa gave up 1.51 percent to 91.60 rand and FirstRand lost 3.08 percent to 12.60 rand.

Financial services group Old Mutual fell 7.28 percent to 6.50 rand and RMB Holdings was off 2.72 percent to 20.04 rand but Investec added 2.08 percent to 34.38 rand.

Sugar group Illovo collected 1.16 percent to 25.29 rand.

Retailer Woolies edged up 10 cents to 12.80 rand. It earlier reported an 11.5 percent increase in diluted headline earnings per share to 62 cents for the 26 weeks ended December 2008 from 55.6 cents a year ago.

Retail turnover was up 8.1 percent at R10.548-billion reflecting the further slow-down in consumer spending, especially in the middle and upper income levels, the group said. Operating profit grew 6.1 percent to R1.046-billion. An interim dividend of 31.5 cents per share was declared, versus 29.5 cents a year ago. Gross margin decreased slightly from 31.3 percent to 31.2 percent.

Massmart eased 14 cents to 71 rand. It earlier advised that headline earnings and headline earnings per share for the 26 weeks ended 28 December 2008 were both expected to be between 10 percent and 15 percent higher than the prior period's comparative figures.

It said earnings and earnings per share for the period were also both expected to be between 10 percent and 15 percent higher than the previous year's comparative figures.

JD Group weakened 2.66 percent to 33.29 rand and Foschini lost 1.30 percent to 45.40 rand but Shoprite gained three percent to 52.22 rand.

Liberty International lost 1.61 percent to 51.40 rand.

Agricultural group Afgri was up 6.67 percent to four rand. It was earlier announced that Gro Capital Financial Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Afgri Operations Limited had entered into a debtors' securitisation programme arranged by Co-

peratieve Centrale Raiffeinsen-Boerenleenbank B.A., trading as Rabobank International, to the value of R2.5-billion.

In terms of the structure of programme, Gro Capital will sell part of its debtors' book, at book value, to a SPV company registered for the purpose of the programme.

Cement manufacturer Pretoria Portland Cement added 4.99 percent to 32.60 rand.

Health insurance group Discovery Holdings gained 4.75 percent to 24.50 rand. It earlier reported a 19 percent growth in headline earnings to R489-million for the six months ended December 2008. This translated into diluted headline earnings per share of 88.6 cents compared to 74.9 cents for the previous comparative period, an 18 percent increase.

An interim cash dividend of 25.5 cents per share was declared for the period.

Telecommunications group MTN Group was down 3.73 percent to 87.60 rand but Telkom was up 65 cents to 110.45 rand.

I-Net Bridge