The JSE jumped over 1 percent on Wednesday morning as a last minute US deal averted the fiscal cliff.
"The JSE and global markets are up on the back of the deal which averted the US fiscal cliff," a local trader said.
At 09.17am, the all share index was 1.31 percent higher at 39,764.51 points.
The resources index increased by 2.27 percent&, followed by a 1.45 percent hike in the gold mining index and a 1.02 percent rise in the banking index.
On the JSE, BHP Billiton (BIL) notched up 3.11 percent to R301.99, Anglo (AGL) rose 2.80 percent to R266.86, ArcelorMittal (ACL) gained 2.06 percent to R36.74 and Exxaro (EXX) was 2.36 percent up at R172.99.
SAA denied rumours that its acting chief executive Nico Bezuidenhout had lied about his qualifications.
Thousands of farmers have applied to employ foreign workers after the introduction of a new minimum wage.
The rand plunged to its weakest level against the dollar in close to four years on Thursday.
