The JSE was firmer in early trade on Tuesday, buoyed by stronger resources stocks.

At 09:13 the JSE all share index was 0.41 percent firmer, with resources up 1.14 percent and platinum miner 1.22 percent stronger. Gold miners were flat (-0.06 percent).

Banks, financials and industrials were virtually unchanged.

The rand was bid at 7.65 to the dollar from 7.74 when the JSE closed on Monday. Gold was quoted at $1072 a troy ounce from $11065 an ounce at the JSE's last close, and platinum was at $1489 an ounce, from $1475 at the bourse's previous close.

A local equities trader said the JSE was taking its cue from stronger resources stocks, with firm commodity prices also underpinning the market.

Dow Jones Newswires reports Asian shares were mostly lower Tuesday, with investors in markets like Japan and Australia adopting a cautious approach amid continuing concerns over European debt.

Traders said concerns about European sovereign debt continue to dent demand with fiscal problems in Greece, Spain and Portugal hurting risk appetite.

Japan's Nikkei 225 was down 0.19 percent, but Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index added 1.04 percent.

European stock markets are tipped to open lower after Wall Street's fall, but sentiment could turn on any positive news in the euro-zone fiscal crisis.

For Tuesday's opening, IG Markets is calling the FTSE down 46 at 5046, the DAX off 49 at 5436 and the CAC down 45 at 3562.

Armando Guglielmetti, senior strategist at InvestNews.ch, looks for insurance issues to lead markets lower, although bargain hunters could come in at the lows.

JPMorgan Asset Management global strategists said the volatility of late last week was "overdone" even though pressures within the euro zone remain "serious" and offer no quick resolutions.

Wall Street futures are inching higher, after US stocks fell Monday, led by financials such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo and J.P. Morgan Chase, as worries over increasing regulation and the impact of European debt issues continued to weigh. The Dow closed down 1.04 percent, or by 103.84 points.