The JSE ended in the red virtually across the board on Thursday amid weaker international markets, tracking Dow futures lower in particular.

A local trader pointed out that even at its current levels, the rand could not keep commodities in the black.

At 5pm the JSE all share index weakened 0.56 percent, with resources losing 1.28 percent. Platinum miners eased 0.52 percent and gold producers gave up 2.10 percent.

Banks were down 0.60 percent and financials declined 0.36 percent, but industrials collected 0.17 percent.

The rand was bid at 7.53 to the dollar, from 7.43 when the JSE closed on Wednesday. Gold was quoted at $1136.35 a troy ounce from $1147.45 at the JSE's last close, and platinum was at $1432/oz, from $1437/oz at its previous close.

A local trader said: "We tracked international markets down this afternoon, with an eye on Dow futures in particular. Not even the rand at its current 7.50 level against the dollar can keep commodities in the black.

In a nutshell, weakness is across the board."

Dow Jones Newswires reported that US stocks opened lower Thursday as an analyst downgrade weighed on a slate of chip companies and on economic worries ahead of some morning reports.

Early on Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average traded down 112 points, or 1.1 percent, to 10316.

For much of a two-week run in the major stock market indexes, that pushed all three to new highs on the year, materials and energy companies have been at the forefront. Broadly, the gains stemmed from an upturn in global economic sentiment, as well as a slide in the dollar.

On Thursday, some of that appeared to be waning with the US dollar index in the green, while oil prices and those of several metals slid. Oil recently traded down 64 cents to $78.94 a barrel.

On the economic front, a weekly jobless claims figure that came in nearly as expected failed to offset some of the increased pessimism surrounding the world economy that was weighing on markets.

In its weekly report, the Labour Department said the number of US workers filing new claims for jobless benefits last week remained unchanged from the prior week, while total claims lasting more than one week declined.

On tap for later in the session will be leading indicators for October and the November Philadelphia Fed survey, both due at 10am, EST.

Back in Johannesburg, Anglo American plc lost 7.31 rand, or 2.25 percent, to 317.58 rand and BHP Billiton declined 1.96 rand to 230.04 rand.

Petrochemicals group Sasol was down 51 cents to 294.99 rand.

Paper group Sappi collected 75 cents, or 2.49 percent, to 30.85 rand, but Mondi gave up 1.08 rand, or 2.55 percent, to 41.27 rand.

ArcelorMittal dropped 2.49 rand, or 2.28 percent, to 106.51 rand and Kumba Iron Ore fell 2.75 rand, or 1.07 percent, to 254.87 rand.

AngloGold Ashanti shed 11.01 rand, or 3.28 percent, to 324.99 rand, Gold Fields weakened 10 cents to 106.95 rand and Harmony (HAR) was off 2.23 rand, or 2.76 percent, to 78.55 rand.

Platinum miner Anglo Platinum collected 2.88 rand to 705 rand, but Impala Platinum edged down 1.80 rand, or 1.06 percent, to 168.70 rand and Lonmin shed 4.35 rand, or 2.01 percent, to 211.66 rand.

Aquarius declined 1.94 rand, or 4.50 percent, to 41.20 rand.

Elsewhere on the JSE, brewer SABMiller added 9.09 rand, or 4.38 percent, to 216.75 rand. It earlier reported adjusted earnings per share of US 80.0 cents for the six months ended September 2009, up 6 percent from 75.2 cents a year ago. Adjusted EPS were 49.9 UK pence compared with 38.9 pence and 648.9 SA cents from 585.8 cents a rise of 10 percent.

Basic earnings per share were down 34 percent to 63.0 cents from 94.8 cents before.

The group said lager volumes decreased 1 percent on an organic basis with growth in Africa and Asia offset by weaker volumes in other markets.

Group revenue was down 6 percent to $13.355-billion before and EBITA was two percent lower at $2.187-billion, impacted by weakness of the group's major operating currencies against the US dollar compared with the same period last year.

Imperial subsided 1.66 rand, or 1.99 percent, to 81.88 rand, with Barloworld down 1.90 rand, or 3.53 percent, to 51.90 rand.

Among banks, Absa declined 1.84 rand, or 1.44 percent, to 126 rand.

Investec plc eased 75 cents, or 1.33 percent, to 55.70 rand. The investment banking group earlier reported basic headline earnings per share of 20.4 pence for the six months to 30 September from 25.6 pence earlier.

Basic earnings per share were at 22.2 pence from 25.6 pence earlier.

The board declared a dividend of 8 pence per ordinary share from 8 pence earlier.

Operating profit decreased 10.7 percent to £216.0-million from £241.8- million, while adjusted earnings attributable to shareholders before goodwill and non-operating items decreased 3.1 percent to £160.4-million from £165.6-million previously.

Sugar group Illovo inched down 33 cents, or 1.03 percent, to 31.67 rand.

It earlier reported a dip in first half diluted headline earnings per share to 106.2 cents from 109.4 cents for the first half a year ago.

Headline earnings were 3 percent lower at 106.5 cents a share for the six months to end September 2009 versus last year's 109.9 cents a share.

The company declared an interim dividend of 32 cents a share.

Media group Naspers shed 11.75 rand, or 4 percent, to 282 rand.

Among retailers, Woolies) weakened 38 cents, or 2.17 percent, to 17.12 rand.

Construction group Aveng was down 88 cents, or 2.15 percent, to 40.10 rand and WBHO was 2.99 rand, or 2.53 percent, lower at 115 rand.

Among telecommunications groups, MTN Group edged up 50 cents to 119.60 rand, and Vodacom added 40 cents to 58 rand.