The JSE edged into the black in early trade on Friday taking direction from firmer world markets as positive momentum from company earnings continued to support bourses, a local equities trader said.

At 9.21am the JSE all share index had collected 0.48 percent, with resources up 0.69 percent and platinum counters adding 0.68 percent, but gold miners gave up 0.79 percent.

Banks were flat, down 0.02 percent, financials edged up 0.12 percent and industrials were 0.44 percent higher.

The rand was bid at 7.41 to the dollar from 7.47 just before the JSE closed on Thursday. Gold was quoted at $1059.15 a troy ounce from $1056.42 just before the JSE's last close, and platinum was at $1370.50 an ounce, from $1362.50 at its previous close.

"We have edged up this morning. There is a lot of good company news and the momentum just keeps going. Maybe there is some panic buyers with investors who are missing the rally wanting to be part of it," the trader said.

"Volumes are very high and that signals that there are a lot of inflows from offshore investors. Risk appetite is increasing.

"The rand has weakened and commodity shares are supported. For the day, I don't see too much. There might be some profit taking later on in the session like we saw last Friday.

"Gold stocks are down on the weak dollar. We know that when risk appetite comes in gold stocks are not that much in flavour," he said.

Dow Jones Newswires reports that Travellers, McDonald's and 3M paced another round of better-than-expected earnings reports and helped the DJIA surge more than 100 points on Thursday.

For Thursday, the DJIA closed up 131.95 points, or 1.33 percent, to 10 081.31, reflecting its first gain in three sessions and a late rally that pushed the Dow back over the psychologically significant 10 000 level. Pacing the index, Travelers gained $3.68, or 7.7 percent, to $51.70 after the commercial and personal insurance provider's third-quarter profit more than quadrupled on sharply lower catastrophic losses and improved investment returns. The company also raised its full-year earnings outlook.

Other companies at the forefront of the Dow's surge included McDonald's, up 1.17, or 2 percent, to 59.50, and 3M, up 2.46, or 3.2 percent, to 78.79. In its quarterly report, McDonald's third-quarter earnings rose 5.9 percent, while 3M also beat analysts' estimates as the diversified manufacturer again raised its full-year earnings view.

Rounding out the Dow's reporters, AT&T gained 16 cents, or 0.6 percent, to 26.10; although its third-quarter profit declined 1.2 percent, the earnings still topped Wall Street expectations.

For the Dow, its 1.3 percent gain on Thursday well outpaced the other two broad market indexes. The S&P 500 closed up 11.51, or 1.06 percent, to 1092.91, while the Nasdaq Composite tacked on 14.56, or 0.68 percent, to 2165.29.

Since stocks have picked up from decades-long lows in the past seven months, industry bellwethers have rarely been at the front of the market's gains. Riskier small-capitalisation stocks paced much of the initial market surge, while other more nuanced sectors have taken turns leading the tape.

"We've now seen a transition in the leadership in the market where you have to watch the bellwether companies," said Quincy Krosby, chief investment strategist at Prudential Annuities. "Investors are really paying attention to what these companies are saying and their guidance is very important for the market."

Asian shares are higher on Friday with the Hong Kong and China markets leading the way as better than expected earnings on Wall Street boosted regional sentiment. South Korea's Hynix Semiconductor though failed to get a lift from its third quarter report.

Japan's Nikkei ended 0.2 percent higher and Hong Kong's Hang Seng was last up 1.5 percent, at highest level in more than 14 months.

European markets are likely to follow US markets higher but investors may opt to take some prudent profit ahead of the weekend, especially should the session's earnings and economic reports serve up any disappointment.

Back in Johannesburg, Anglo American plc was up 3.82 rand, or 1.34 percent, to 288 rand and BHP Billiton advanced 2.87 rand, or 1.29 percent, to 226 rand rand.

Petrochemicals group Sasol eased 16 cents to 312.50 rand. Paper group Sappi collected 31 cents, or 1.19 percent, to 26.41 rand.

Highveld Steel added 1.44 rand, or 2.12 percent, to 69.44 rand and Kumba Iron Ore was up 2.48 rand, or 1 percent, to 251.08 rand.

Gold miner AngloGold Ashanti was off 2.48 rand to 324.02 rand, Gold Fields gave up one rand to 105.50 rand and Harmony weakened 55 cents to 83.20 rand.

Platinum miner Anglo Platinum gained 8.97 rand, or 1.34 percent, to 676.96 rand and Lonmin was up 3.11 rand, or 1.49 percent, to 212.11 rand.

Among industrials on the JSE, brewer SABMiller added 1.01 rand to 202.96 rand and Remgro was up 1.07 rand, or 1.15 percent, to 94.07 rand.

Banking group Nedbank was up 45 cents to 126.45 rand and Absa collected 40 cents to 130.40 rand.

Sugar group Illovo shed 89 cents, or 2.41 percent, to 36.11 rand.

Media group Naspers firmed 3.05 rand, or 1.07 percent, to 287.05 rand.

Among retailers Mr Price added 41 cents, or 1.17 percent, to 35.51 rand and Clicks put on 88 cents, or 3.71 percent, to 24.58 rand.

Construction group Aveng put on 44 cents, or 1.05 percent, to 42.30 rand and Murray & Roberts rose 77 cents, or 1.34 percent, to 58.06 rand.

Telecommunications group MTN Group eased seven cents to 125.83 rand but Telkom collected 25 cents to 45.25 rand and Vodacom was up 37 cents to 53.97 rand.