Stocks ended 409 points higher on Monday boosted by a good performance in metals stocks as well as a positive open on Wall Street.

At 5pm the JSE all share index had gained 1.53 percent, with resources up 2.77 percent, platinum producers strengthening 2.60 percent and gold miners firming 2.57 percent.

Banks and financials collected 0.77 percent and 0.83 percent respectively, and industrials were up 0.52 percent.

The rand was bid at 7.33 to the dollar, from 7.47 when the JSE closed on Friday. Gold was quoted at $1132.85 a troy ounce from $1105.97 at the JSE's last close, and platinum was at $1429.50/oz, from $1387.50/oz at its previous close.

"The market is still on the run with the current trend. The dollar price of metals is quite strong again, especially gold reaching new highs," an equities trader said.

"The appetite for risk still seems to be quite high. It's a bit mixed in some places however, with the likes of MTN and Telkom seeing some profit taking.

"It's generally the metals, on the balance it's a positive market. The Dow has opened up after a positive close on Friday. Locally, we are waiting for the MPC [interest rate decision from the Monetary Policy Committee on Tuesday]. I don't think there will be much change there," he said.

"We are running on sentiment from international equity markets," he concluded.

Dow Jones Newswire reported that US stocks opened higher on Monday as a report of robust economic growth in Japan sparked a rally in energy and materials firms.

With the gains, stock traders shrugged off two reports that hinted at some weakness domestically, including a downward revision to September's retail sales and a declining pace of improvement for manufacturing in New York last month.

The DJI recently traded up 95 points, or 1 percent, to 10 369, with 29 of its 30 components in the green. Boeing, Caterpillar and Exxon Mobil were among its leading gainers.

In addition, Merck rose 3.2 percent even after a new study showed its Zetia cholesterol drug was inferior to Abbott Laboratories' Niaspan at clearing clogged arteries.

Helping stocks, Japan's government said the nation's gross domestic product grew a price-adjusted 1.2 percent in July-September from the prior quarter, or a 4.8 percent increase on an annualised basis. The result beat the 0.6 percent on- quarter growth and 2.2 percent annualised rise expected by economists polled by Dow Jones Newswires.

Following the report, commodities prices climbed higher around the globe. Oil futures recently tacked on 44 cents to $76.79 a barrel, while gold and other metals also moved higher. The dollar was weaker against both the yen and the euro.

In the morning's slate of economic reports, the Commerce Department's October retail sales report showed US retail sales jumped higher than expected in last month on rebounding demand for cars, a sign the economy kept recovering despite climbing unemployment. Retail sales increased 1.4 percent for October, much better than the 0.9 percent increase projected by Wall Street for the first month of the fourth quarter.

When the local market closed, the DJIA was last up 1.06 percent.

Back in Johannesburg, Anglo American plc gained 11.75 rand, or 3.75 percent, to 325.10 rand and BHP Billiton advanced 5.75 rand, or 2.58 percent, to 228.33 rand.

Petrochemicals group Sasol was up 4.25 rand, or 1.47 percent, to 294.25 rand.

Paper group Sappi put on 37 cents, or 1.29 percent, to 29.15 rand.

ArcelorMittal rose 2.50 rand, or 2.27 percent, to 112.50 rand, Highveld Steel was up one rand, or 1.49 percent, to 68 rand and Kumba Iron Ore added 6.11 rand, or 2.44 percent, to 256.21 rand.

AngloGold Ashanti firmed 6.60 rand, or 2.02 percent, to 333.60 rand, Gold Fields put on 3.35 rand, or 3.17 percent, to 108.95 rand and Harmony strengthened 2.77 rand, or 3.58 percent, to 80.05 rand.

Platinum miner Anglo Platinum jumped 14.89 rand, or 2.22 percent, to 686.89 rand, Impala Platinum (IMP) was 4.10 rand, or 2.46 percent, higher at 171.10 rand and Lonmin was up 15.15 rand, or 7.62 percent, to 213.85 rand.

Lonmin earlier reported platinum sales of 682 955 ounces for the year to end September 2009. This was 2 percent below its Marikana target and 6 percent lower than last year's full year sales.

Revenue for the year halved to US$1.1-billion from $2.2-billion last year and the company reported an operating loss of $142-million for the year, against an operating profit of $764-million a year ago.

This resulted in $272-million loss before tax, against a $779-million profit before tax in the year to end September 2008.

A loss per share of 163.7 US cents a share was reported versus a 277.7 US cents profit per share a year back.

No final dividend was declared.

In diversified miners, African Minerals added 5.24 rand, or 3.20 percent, to 169 rand and Exxaro firmed 3.14 rand, or 3.45 percent, to 94.14 rand.

Among industrials on the JSE, brewer SABMiller was up 1.45 rand to 207.90 rand and Barloworld advanced 1.65 rand, or 3.32 percent, to 51.35 rand.

Barloworld earlier reported diluted headline earnings per share of 280.5 cents for the year ended September 2009 from 606.1 cents a year ago. HEPS from continuing operations were 348.1 cents versus 607.6 cents previously.

The company declared a total dividend of 110 cents per share. Cash generated from operations was up 20 percent to R4.469-billion, reflecting strong operating cash generation in a difficult trading environment.

Operating profit after the BEE transaction charges decreased 25 percent to R1.994-billion.

CEO Clive Thomson said Equipment Southern Africa delivered a solid operating performance while the automotive division performed exceptionally well in a very difficult year for the industry.

The southern African handling and logistics businesses returned "satisfactory" results.

Banking group Standard Bank (SBK) edged up 55 cents to 96.95 rand and Absa put on 2.30 rand, or 1.80 percent, to 130.30 rand, but Nedbank weakened 85 cents to 120.50 rand.

Financial services group Old Mutual rose 37 cents, or 2.64 percent, to 14.38 rand and Sanlam was up 43 cents, or 1.94 percent, to 22.60 rand.

Media group Caxton gained 1.89 rand, or 13.89 percent, to 15.50 rand while Avusa (AVU) declined 40 cents, or 2.17 percent, to 18 rand.

Retailer Woolies collected 40 cents, or 2.34 percent, to 17.51 rand, Pick n Pay put on 1.45 rand, or 3.67 percent, to 41 rand and Steinhoff was up 21 cents, or 1.16 percent, to 18.35 rand.

JD Group rose 1.70 rand, or 4.15 percent, to 42.70 rand. It earlier reported an 85 percent drop in its full year diluted headline earnings per share from 298.3c to 44.2 cents in the year to end August 2009.

The group maintained its final dividend at 41 cents a share.

Revenue grew by 2.5 percent to R12.9-billion for the year to end August 2009, from R12.6-billion the year before.

Operating profit before debtors' costs was R1.8-billion, up 3.5 percent on 2008.

If the once off restructuring costs of 98 million rand are excluded, the group's like-for-like operating profit before debtors costs increased by 9.3 percent.

Operating profit after debtors costs of R646-million showed a decline of 18.9 percent on the previous year's R797-million as a result of the restructuring costs and a 23.5 percent increase in the bad debts charge to R1.1-billion from R898-million a year ago.

Liberty International added 1.28 rand, or 2.08 percent, to 62.85 rand.

Among telecommunications groups, MTN Group lost 2.80 rand, or 2.34 percent, to 117 rand and Telkom eased 25 cents to 40.50 rand.