Stocks were 155 points weaker in early trade on Wednesday with resources weighing on the bourse on the back of a fall in metal prices.

At 9.10am the JSE all share index was off 0.64 percent, with resources 0.90 percent lower. Gold miners gave up 0.61 percent and platinum miners lost 1.82 percent.

Banks were 1.08 percent weaker, financials softened 0.85 percent and industrials edged down 0.25 percent.

The rand was bid at 8.08 to the dollar, from 8.05 when the JSE closed on Tuesday. Gold was quoted at $936.95 a troy ounce from $936.80/oz at the JSE's last close, and platinum was at $1224.50/oz, from $1226.50/oz at its previous close.

"We have edged lower, it's the heavyweights that are pulling us lower," a local equities trader said.

"The Chinese market is down significantly, metal prices are also down a bit this morning. The rand is steady and is not having a big effect on the market.

"For the rest of the day I see us maintaining this trend and ending negative. I don't see anything lifting us out of it," he said.

Dow Jones Newswires reported that a string of better-than-expected quarterly reports from retailers, including Home Depot and Target, and an American Express-led bounce-back for financials, helped stocks close higher on Tuesday.

In the wake of steep declines in the past two sessions, consumer stocks had a solid move higher on Tuesday. While concern about the health of the US consumer remains, largely thanks to a still weakened labour market, some within the industry were able to quell some investor fears on the session.

Notably, Home Depot increased 82 cents, or 3.1 percent, to $26.93, as its fiscal second-quarter earnings fell a smaller-than-expected 7.2 percent and the world's largest home-improvement retailer by sales raised its fiscal-year earnings outlook.

In addition, Target tacked on 3.11, or 7.6 percent, to 44.32. The discount retailer's fiscal second-quarter profit fell 6.4 percent, but came in well above analysts' expectations.

After losing more than 250 points in the last two sessions, the DJIA increased 82.60 points, or 0.9 percent, to 9217.94, on Tuesday. The S&P 500 gained 9.94, or 1.01 percent, to 989.67.

Asian stock markets are mixed on Wednesday as a positive boost from US stocks offset the uncertain outlook for China shares. In Japan, Sanyo Electric powered higher on a report that Toyota Motor would buy its batteries for hybrid vehicles.

Nikkei ended down 0.8 percent and Japan's Hang Seng was last up 0.1 percent.

European bourses are tipped to start mixed with a backdrop of mixed economic signals around the globe keeping investors on the defensive side.

I-Net Bridge