The JSE ended marginally in the black on Wednesday led by commodities amid a stronger euro against the greenback, while US data revealed better-than-expected jobless claims.

At 5pm the JSE all share index ended 0.41 percent higher, led by resources, up 1.24 percent. Gold producers gained 1.06 percent and platinum counters swelled 1.34 percent.

Banks and financials fell 0.09 percent and 0.21 percent respectively, while industrials lost 0.21 percent.

The rand was bid at 7.34 to the dollar, from 7.49 when the JSE closed on Monday. Gold was quoted at $1,180.50 a troy ounce from US$1,164.32 at the JSE's last close, and platinum was at $1471/oz, from $1454/oz at its previous close.

A local trader said: "We picked up from Australian mining stocks this morning, which traded well on precious metal prices.

"The euro/dollar broke the 1.5000 barrier, which added to support for commodity prices, and then later on this afternoon we had mixed results from US data - unemployment figures were better than expected. We will continue to track the Dow overnight."

Dow Jones Newswire reported that US stocks were modestly higher in early trading on Wednesday, as an unexpected drop in durable goods orders largely offset bigger-than-expected rises in consumer spending and personal income last month along with a larger drop in jobless claims last week.

In other markets, the dollar fell against the euro and the yen, while Treasuries were lower, with the 10-year note recently off 4/32 to yield 3.319 percent.

The action came after reports showed last week's initial jobless claims fell by more than predicted and spending by Americans bounced back in October as their incomes rose slightly more than expected. Still, the boost from those reports was limited as the Commerce Department also said on Wednesday that demand for long-lasting goods unexpectedly fell in October, and a barometer of capital spending by businesses tumbled in another sign of the recovery's sluggishness.

Still to come on Wednesday are reports on new home sales, as well as consumer sentiment and the Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Survey.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 3 points at 10436 in recent trading.

Among equity movers on the JSE, Anglo American plc (AGL) added 2.25 rand to 329 rand, and BHP Billiton (BIL) moved 4.73 rand, or 2.06 percent, higher to 234.73 rand.

Petrochemicals group Sasol (SOL) advanced 2.02 rand to 302 rand.

ArcelorMittal (ACL) wavered 2.40 rand, or 2.19 percent, to 107 rand and Highveld Steel (HVL) declined 90 cents, or 1.41 percent, to 63.10 rand.

Kumba Iron Ore (KIO) collected 2.28 rand to 265.18 rand.

AngloGold Ashanti (ANG) pocketed three rand to 333 rand, Gold Fields (GFI) added one rand to 110 rand and Harmony (HAR) increased 1.75 rand, or 2.19 percent, to 81.50 rand.

Platinum miner Anglo Platinum (AMS) rose 18.60 rand, or 2.53 percent, to 754.60 rand, Impala Platinum (IMP) was 1.19 rand firmer at 174 rand and Lonmin (LON) was 3.30 rand, or 1.51 percent to the good, at 222 rand.

Among industrials on the JSE, SABMiller (SAB) fell one rand to 220 rand Bidvest (BVT) lost 1.23 rand, or 1.03 percent, to 118.76 rand and British American Tobacco (BTI) gave up 3.80 rand, or 1.59 percent, to 234.60 rand.

Fast-moving consumer goods group Tiger Brands (TBS) firmed 2.26 rand, or 1.39 percent, to 165.26 rand.

Pharmaceutical company Adcock Ingram (AIP) subsided 1.29 rand, or 2.46 percent, to 51.20 rand.

Banker Sanlam (SLM) added 30 cents, or 1.35 percent, to 22.50 rand, with the other banks flat.

Sugar group Illovo (ILV) weakened 80 cents, or 2.58 percent, to 30.20 rand.

Media group Naspers (NPN) slipped two rand lower to 288 rand, but Avusa (AVU) put on two rand, or 11.76 percent, to 19 rand.

Among retailers, Foschini (FOS) dropped one rand, or 1.72 percent, to 57.10 rand, while Massmart (MSM) weakened 95 cents, or 1.10 rand, to 85.20 rand. Massmart earlier issued a trading statement in which it adopted a cautious outlook, saying its business planning was extremely difficult because the speed with which the global economic crisis had fundamentally changed the environment, rendering references to the prior year "almost invalid".

For the 21 weeks ended November 22, Massmart said its total sales growth was 4.9 percent and comparable sales growth was -0.7 percent. Excluding African sales these growth figures were: total sales 6.2 percent and comparable sales 0.9 percent. To assist comparison, the similarly restated sales growths for week 14, the date of the previous Massmart sales update, would have been total sales 6.4 percent and comparable sales 1.8 percent.

"Given the critical Christmas trading period, it is difficult to forecast Massmart's earnings with any reasonable degree of certainty, but we expect earnings per share and headline earnings per share for the six months to December 2009, including and excluding any foreign currency translation effects, to be below the comparable prior period," it said.

Construction group Aveng (AEG) weakened 70 cents, or 1.78 percent, to 38.70 rand and Murray & Roberts (MUR) lost 1.85 rand, or 3.50 percent, to 51 rand.

Basil Read Holdings (BSR) also gave up 39 cents, or 2.60 percent, to 14.60, and WBHO (WBO) fell 2.95 rand, or 2.61 percent, to 110.05 rand.

Telecommunications group Vodacom (VOD) moved 85 cents higher, or 1.45 percent, to 59.50 rand.

I-Net Bridge