The JSE ended firmer on Thursday, lifted mainly by a rally in gold shares due to the weaker rand.

At 17:00 the JSE all-share index was up 0.53 percent to 33‚142.61 points‚ with gold shares gaining 4.20 percent‚ while resources were flat (0.04 percent) and platinums counters lost 0.38 percent.

Financials lifted 0.73 percent‚ banking stocks garnered 0.84 percent and industrials were 0.67 percent in the black.

The rand slid to 8.55 to the US dollar‚ from 8.48 at the JSE's close on Wednesday‚ while gold was quoted at US$1‚566.51 a troy ounce from US$1‚551.05/oz at the JSE's previous close and platinum was at $1‚403.20/oz‚ from $1‚395.70/oz at the previous session.

The all-share index has shed 3.65 percent in May‚ with general resources the worst performing sector: Gold shares have lost 15.14 percent‚ platinums 12.14 percent and resources 7.25 percent.

Among individual shares‚ Telkom’s share price fell almost 5 percent on Thursday after the fixed-line provider’s weighting in the MSCI equity index was reduced‚ while Mr Price rallied more 3 percent after its weighing in the same index was increased.

Rob Towell‚ senior equities trader at Consilium Securities‚ said volatility was set to continue in the equity markets pending the resolution of the eurozone crises.

European markets lost ground in late trade after a positive start‚ as poor US economic data weighed on market sentiment.

By the JSE’s close the UK’s FTSE had lost 0.25 percent to 5‚283.84 points‚ while the Dow Industrial Average was down 0.67 percent.

Asian markets finished the month bruised after concerns over the health of the Spanish banking system pushed stocks down across the region‚ with Australia and Japan recording their worst month in two years‚ Dow Jones Newswires reported.

Japan's Nikkei finished 1.05 percent weaker.

Asia's worst performer for the month was the Hang Seng Index‚ which dropped 11.7 percent and was 0.32 percent down on the day.