Stocks ended firmer on Monday amid good appetite for stocks at their lower levels, following a sharp sell-off over the past few weeks.

A softer rand, and slightly firmer metal prices also benefited local stocks.

By 5pm the JSE all share index was 0.96 percent firmer, with resources gaining 1.62 percent, platinum miners up 2.41 percent and gold miners up 2.31 percent.

Financials added 0.25 percent and banks picked up 0.88 percent respectively, while industrials rose 0.65 percent.

The rand was bid at 7.74 to the dollar from 7.70 when the JSE closed on Friday. Gold was quoted at $1065 a troy ounce from $11057.95 at the JSE's last close, and platinum was at $1475/oz, from $1477.50/oz at the bourse's previous close.

A local equities dealer said: "There are a number of variances that have played on the local bourse today. We have seen quite a bit of appetite for stocks at these lower levels, following a sharp sell-off over the past few weeks.

He noted that a slight increase in metal prices had benefited local stocks, with a softer rand boosting resources.

Dow Jones Newswires reports that US stocks opened lower on Monday, with financial companies leading the decline.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 41, or 0.5 percent, at 9966, in early trading.

The Standard & Poor's 500-share index was down 0.4 percent, with financials, materials and industrials leading the drop.

Over the weekend, leaders from the Group of Seven, meeting near the Arctic, said the global economy has improved as they left it to Europe to solve problems over the budget deficit of Greece and other euro-zone members that rattled markets last week. European sovereign credit-default swap spreads generally tightened on Monday, with the cost of insuring Greek and Spanish debt against default falling, although Portugal remained volatile.

This week, market watchers will be paying close attention to Thursday's European Union heads of state meeting.

In the US this week, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will begin to lay out a blueprint for a credit tightening. Once the Fed decides the economy has recovered sufficiently, it will begin to gradually raise an interest rate it pays to banks on money they leave on reserve at the central bank, known as "interest on excess reserves." This rate is now 0.25 percent.

On the JSE, Anglo American (AGL) gained 3.95 rand, or 1.45 percent to 276.41 rand and BHP Billiton (BIL) picked up 3.62 rand, or 1.66 percent to 222 rand.

Sasol (SOL) added 86 cents to 271.75 rand.

Platinum miner Anglo Platinum (AMS) added 45 rand or 6.54 percent to 733 rand, while Northam Platinum (NHM) found 135 cents, or 2.86 percent to 48.50 rand.

Aquarius (AQP) put on 116 cents or 2.67 percent to 44.62 rand and Lonmin (LON) was 3.26 rand or 1.56 percent better off at 212.26 rand.

Anglo Platinum (Angloplat, AMS), the world's largest platinum producer, on Monday reported a 95 percent fall in diluted headline earnings per share to 297 cents for the year ended December 2009 from 5,586 cents in the year ended December 2008.

The company's refined platinum production was up 3 percent to 2.45 million ounces.

The group said it is to launch a 12.5 billion rand rights offer to restructure the balance sheet and secure future growth and operational flexibility.

Anglo American said it has undertaken to subscribe in full to its entitlement to the rights offer by its subsidiary company, Anglo Platinum.

Among gold counters, AngloGold Ashanti (ANG) gained 7.75 rand, or 2.84 percent to 281 rand, and Gold Fields (GFI) pocketed 190 cents or 2.20 percent to 88.30 rand.

Harmony Gold Mining (HAR) added 51 cents to 72 rand. South Africa's third largest gold producer, on Monday reported a turnaround in its quarter on quarter headline earnings per share (HEPS) by reporting HEPS of 49 cents for the three months to end December 2009 compared to a headline loss of 12 cents per share reported for the three months to end September 2009.

But HEPS for the first half of its 2010 financial year were down 64.8 percent to 37 cents from 105 cents for the same six months the year before.

Production was down 1.2 percent quarter-on-quarter and for the half year with December quarter production coming in at 371,956 ounces and first half production at 748,555 ounces.

The dip in production was attributed to restructuring.

Underground volume was 6.2 percent lower at 2.24 million tonnes while underground grade was flat at 4.51g/t, and underground production thus 5.7 percent lower at 325,268 ounces,

Surface volumes increased by 22.9 percent to 2.68 million tonnes and combined with a 20 percent increase in grade to 0.54g/t, surface production increased by 46.8 percent to 46,688 ounces.

The increase in surface production was attributed to the opencast operations at Papa New Guinea (PNG).

An improvement in the average Rand gold price received resulted in a 8.2 percent increase in revenue to 2.97 billion rand, and after accounting for total cash operating costs ? which were 1 percent lower at 2.17 billion rand mainly because of the lower summer electricity tariff ? cash operating profit was 44.9 percent higher at 800 million rand for the quarter.

Highveld Steel (HVL) declined 1.48 rand, or 2.37 percent to 61 rand.

Kumba Iron Ore (KIO) pocketed 10.90 rand, or 3.64 percent to 310 rand.

Arcelormittal (ACL) rose 2.90 rand, or 2.90 percent to 102.90 rand.

Diversified miner Exxaro (EXX) gained 1.95 rand, or 1.97 percent to 100.75 rand, and African Rainbow (ARI) added two rand, or 1.27 percent to 159 rand.

Banker Nedbank (NED) profited 3.35 rand, or 2.86 percent to 120.60 rand and Standard Bank (SBK) was up 120 cents or 1.17 percent at 103.39 rand.

Absa (ASA) gained 133 cents, or 1.03 percent to 131.08 rand.

Financial services group Old Mutual (OML) fell 25 cents or 2.10 percent to 11.64 rand.

Among industrials British American Tobacco (BTI) added 4.95 rand, or 1.99 percent to 253.65 rand, with SAB Miller (SAB) up 3.35 rand, or 1.67 percent to 203.45 rand.

Telecommunications group MTN (MTN) rose 2.25 rand, or 2.10 percent, to 109.25 rand.

Media giant Naspers (NPN) declined 6.01 rand, or 2.27 percent to 259 rand.

In other news Copper mining company Palabora Mining (PAM), which operates South Africa's largest copper mine, was at 105 rand

On Monday the group declared a 6.20 rand dividend despite a 60 percent fall in its full year headline earnings.

The company declared a dividend of 0.82 cents in 2008.

Headline earnings per share of 598 cents were reported for the 12 months to end December 2009, compared to 1,493 cents a share for the year to end December 2008, as production dipped and copper prices fell.

Net profit for the year decreased to 284 million rand, or 597 cents a share, in 2009 from 720 million rand, or 1,489 cents per share, in 2008.