Stocks ended 613 points higher on Wednesday, supported by a rally in resource counters and strong trade on Wall Street on the back of better-than-expected earnings in the US.

By 5pm the JSE all share index was up 2.67 percent, with resources gaining 3.57 percent. Gold miners put on 3.71 percent and platinum counters firmed 3.43 percent.

Banks added 1.70 percent, financials picked up 2.25 percent and industrials advanced 1.92 percent

The rand was bid at 8.16 to the dollar from 8.23 when the JSE closed on Tuesday. Gold was quoted at $939.05/oz a troy ounce from $925.60/oz at the JSE's last close, and platinum was at $1154/oz, from $1127.50/oz at its previous close.

"We have had a very good day, we ended up firmly," a trader said.

"It's a follow-through from the earnings in the US. The positive momentum has filtered through to our market.

"Resources are the main gainers on the back of firmer commodity prices. Resurgent risk appetite is coming through again," he said.

Dow Jones Newswires reports that US stocks jumped at the open on Wednesday, tracking overseas gains after an upbeat outlook from Intel.

Shortly after the bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 129 points to 8488, the S&P 500 added 14 points to 920, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 39 to 1838.

Intel shares rose 6.8 percent, adding to gains in European trade after the Nasdaq component reported quarterly sales and profit margins that were stronger than expected after Tuesday's close, and issued an upbeat forecast. Intel posted a loss due to an antitrust fine.

The company's report followed better than-expected results from Goldman Sachs Group. However, stocks mustered only tiny gains on Tuesday, despite Goldman's earnings and upbeat retail data. The Dow industrials added 27 points, helped by a 2.4 percent gain in Home Depot.

The broader tech industry was likely to get a boost from Intel's results, said analyst Crawford Del Prete of International Data Corp. "Clearly, Intel is seeing a firming up in demand," he said. "It's encouraging news for the industry."

Tech stocks like Alcatel-Lucent and Samsung Electronics rallied in Asia and Europe, sending the Kospi up 2.6 percent in Seoul and the CAC 40 up 1.9 percent in Paris.

On the economic front, US consumer prices jumped as expected last month on higher energy and automobile prices. The consumer price index rose 0.7 percent in June from May, the Labour Department said Wednesday, slightly above economist expectations for a 0.6 percent increase, according to a Dow Jones Newswires survey. The core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, rose 0.2 percent, also slightly above expectations. Unrounded, the CPI rose 0.744 percent last month. The core CPI advanced 0.198 percent unrounded.

When the JSE closed, the DJIA had gained 1.81 percent.

Back in Johannesburg, Anglo American put on 3.11 percent to 237.99 rand and BHP Billiton was up 3.85 percent to 192.13 rand.

Petrochemicals group Sasol added 3.18 percent to 279.57 rand. The South African synthetic fuels company Sasol said on Wednesday it has signed a joint venture agreement with Uzbekneftegaz - the National Oil and Gas Company of Uzbekistan - and Petronas from Malaysia, for the development and implementation of a gas to liquids project in Uzbekistan.

Paper group Sappi rose 1.02 percent to 24.85 rand but rival Mondi declined 1.45 percent to 34 rand.

ArcelorMittal rose 3.48 percent to 97.58 rand and Kumba Iron Ore jumped 9.79 percent to 189.29 rand but Highveld Steel lost 3.08 percent to 61.05 rand.

Gold miner AngloGold Ashanti rallied 3.99 percent to 300 rand, Gold Fields firmed 3.93 percent to 97.69 rand and Harmony was up 2.38 percent to 75.25 rand.

Platinum miner Anglo Platinum gained 1.96 percent to 520 rand, Impala Platinum was up 4.14 percent to 176 rand and Lonmin strengthened 3.42 percent to 148.90 rand.

In diversified miners, African Rainbow firmed 2.86 percent to 126 rand and Exxaro rose 6.33 percent to 79.75 rand.

Among industrials on the JSE, brewer SABMiller gained 2.07 percent to 173.80 rand, Bidvest profited 5.22 percent to 105.90 rand and Imperial collected 1.54 percent to 66 rand.

Banking group Standard Bank put on 1.79 percent to 95.43 rand, Absa was up 2.35 percent to 117.91 rand and FirstRand rose 2.26 percent to 15.39 rand.

Financial services group Old Mutual gained 7.28 percent to 11.49 rand and Sanlam was 5.66 percent stronger at 18.66 rand.

Sugar group Illovo put on 1.69 percent to 30 rand.

Media group Naspers lost 2.47 percent to 225 rand but Caxton strengthened 2.80 percent to 11 rand.

Among retailers, Truworths gained 3.21 percent to 40.49 rand, Lewis was up 3.62 percent to 51.55 rand, JD Group strengthened 5.01 percent to 43.58 rand, Foschini advanced 3.56 percent to 53.49 rand and Steinhoff rose 3.91 percent to 14.34 rand.

Construction group Aveng added 1.39 percent to 35.85 rand, Murray & Roberts firmed 1.23 percent to 50.20 rand and WBHO collected 1.24 percent to 110.15 rand.

Telecommunications group MTN Group gained 4.37 percent to 128.89 rand, and Vodacom strengthened 2.54 percent to 58.60 rand.

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