The JSE ended flat on Tuesday, up 19 points, having lost momentum in line with global markets amid profit taking, a local trader said.

At 5pm the JSE all share index was flat, up 0.07 percent, with resources collecting 0.50 percent and platinum producers adding 1.06 percent, but gold miners weakened 0.48 percent.

Banks and financials eased 0.18 percent and 0.13 percent respectively, and industrials gave up 0.28 percent.

At 4.52pm the rand was bid at 7.35 to the dollar from 7.29 at the JSE close on Monday. Gold was quoted at $1059.05 a troy ounce from $1050.99/oz just before the JSE's last close, and platinum was at $1366/oz, from $1353/oz at its previous close.

"We ended flat on the market today. It was a mixed day, and the volatility is quite high," the trader said.

"Europe pulled us lower and the Dow also opened down. There is some profit taking in the market and we are moving in line with international markets.

"Most stocks are very overbought at these levels and it's not too surprising. The rand is quite stable and commodity prices are mixed," she said.

"There is slight profit taking. We will continue to eye earnings out of the US for the rest of the week," she added.

Dow Jones Newswires reports that US stocks were weaker on Tuesday as a smaller-than-expected rise in housing starts deflated some of the optimism about strong corporate earnings.

Weak revenue reports from a quartet of blue-chip companies also reinforced investor jitters about persistent weakness in the global economy.

The government reported a larger-than-forecast monthly decline in wholesale-level inflation, a smaller-than-expected rise in housing starts and an unexpected drop in building permits, though they remained in the black thanks to strong third-quarter earnings reports.

The DJIA was recently off 26 points, or 0.3 percent, at 10065.74. Its losses were tempered by a 3.8 percent rise in component Caterpillar after the industrial giant exceeded third-quarter profit expectations by a wide margin by slashing costs. However, the company's revenue was down 44 percent from a year ago.

Other Dow components reporting weaker revenue did not fare as well on Tuesday. Coca-Cola was off 1.4 percent after reporting flat third-quarter earnings but a decline in revenue as the beverage giant continued to be hurt by fluctuations in global currencies.

The company's revenue came in a notch below analyst views, hurt by the effects of foreign exchange and a four percent volume decline in North America. Earnings exceeded estimates as the company cut costs.

Dupont was off 1.5 percent after announcing rising profits accompanied by a sales decline. United Technologies was off 1 percent after announcing decline in both profits and sales. Both companies' bottom lines beat expectations.

"Year over year order rates have substantially stabilised, although at lower levels, and we've started to see improvement in some Asian economies, notably China," United Technologies Chief Executive Louis Chenevert said.

The Commerce Department said home building rose a third time in four months during September, reflecting higher sales this year, but the increase was smaller than expected as the government tax credit that's helped drive demand nears its end.

The rise in housing starts came in at 0.5 percent, climbing to a seasonally adjusted 590 000 annual rate compared to the prior month. The report also said building permits fell and August starts were revised down. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires forecast a 2.0 percent increase in September starts, to an annual rate of 610 000.

At the time the JSE closed, the DJIA had weakened 0.26.

On the JSE, Anglo American plc was up two rand to 278 rand and BHP Billiton collected 97 cents to 222 rand.

Petrochemicals group Sasol gained 1.80 rand to 313.80 rand.

Paper group Sappi lost 1.20 rand, or 4.44 percent, to 25.80 rand.

Highveld Steel gave up 1.10 rand, or 1.56 percent, to 69.40 rand but Kumba Iron Ore was up 4.49 rand, or 1.84 percent, to 247.99 rand.

Gold miner AngloGold Ashanti declined 3.87 rand, or 1.17 percent, to 325.63 rand and Gold Fields weakened 50 cents to 104 rand, but Harmony added 1.53 rand, or 1.83 percent, to 84.93 rand.

Platinum miner Anglo Platinum gave up two rand to 673 rand but Impala Platinum rose 3.01 rand, or 1.85 percent, to 166 rand and Lonmin put on 2.95 rand, or 1.43 percent, to 209.20 rand.

In diversified miners African Rainbow rose 1.91 rand, or 1.24 percent, to 155.91 rand and Exxaro was up two rand, or 2.17 percent, to 94 rand.

Elsewhere on the JSE, brewer SABMiller firmed 2.42 rand, or 1.22 percent, to 200.62 rand, but Barloworld declined 50 cents, or 1.03 rand, to 48.20 rand and Imperial was off 1.09 rand, or 1.30 percent, to 82.50 rand.

Among banks, Standard Bank was down 81 cents to 101.69 rand and Nedbank weakened 37 cents to 125.88 rand, but Absa collected 85 cents to 130.75 rand.

Financial services group Old Mutual slipped 19 cents, or 1.38 percent, to 13.61 rand but Sanlam was up 30 cents, or 1.43 percent, to 21.35 rand.

Sugar group Illovo was up 1.57 rand, or 4.59 percent, to 35.75 rand while Tongaat Hulett weakened one rand, or 1.03 percent, to 95.80 rand.

Media group Naspers fell 5.06 rand, or 1.81 percent, to 274.98 rand.

Retailer Spar lost 1.20 rand, or 1.77 percent, to 66.55 rand, JD Group declined 1.15 rand, or 2.51 percent, to 44.75 rand, Foschini dropped 2.08 rand, or 3.23 percent, to 62.35 rand and Steinhoff gave up 1.26 rand, or 6.45 percent, to 18.29 rand.

Construction group Aveng weakened 50 cents, or 1.18 percent, to 42 rand and Basil Read was off 30 cents, or 1.71 percent, to 17.20 rand, but Murray & Roberts collected 93 cents, or 1.59 percent, to 59.49 rand.

Pioneer Foods gained 1.55 rand, or 4.70 percent, to 34.50 rand. The food group advised shareholders that headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the 12 months ended September 30 2009 are expected to be between 350 cents and 405 cents (2008: 292 cents) or between 20 percent and 39 percent higher than the previous corresponding period.

Earnings per share (EPS) are expected to between 315 cents and 370 cents (2008: 282 cents) or between 12 percent and 31 percent higher.

The group said the difference between EPS and HEPS was mainly from the impairment of goodwill relating to a particular transaction and certain fixed assets.

Among telecommunications groups, MTN Group declined 82 cents to 121.68 rand and Telkom lost 1.05 rand, or 2.32 percent, to 44.20 rand.

Vodacom shed 2.25 rand, or 4.05 percent, to 53.25 rand. The group said on Tuesday that headline earnings per share for the six months ended September 2009 are expected to be between 10 percent and 20 percent lower than those for the six months ended September 2008.

The company said in a trading statement that notwithstanding the more difficult trading conditions, particularly in the international operations, it is encouraged by its core operating performance and expects group revenue growth of approximately 10 percent and earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) growth of approximately 8 percent for the first half compared with the same period last year.

Vodacom also expects to recognise impairment losses of approximately 3.2 billion rand, mainly in relation to the Gateway acquisition, as a result of recent adverse changes in the economic environment, increased price competition and the resulting poorer trading trends.