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Johannesburg - The JSE closed out Tuesday's session in the black, arresting earlier losses, boosted by firmer US stocks which were encouraged by a better than expected consumer confidence reading.
By 17:00 local time the JSE all share index had firmed 0.41%, with Gold miners 1.38% better off. Resources declined 0.14% and Platinum miners shed 2.11%
Banks grew 1.12%, financials gained 0.61% and industrials were also 0.82% stronger.
The rand was bid at R7.36 to the dollar from R7.32 at the JSE's close on Monday. Gold was quoted at $1 246.85 a troy ounce from $1 236.40/oz at the JSE's previous close, while platinum was at $1 521.50/oz from $1 531.50/oz before.
A trader said: "We started off weaker this morning, tracking Asian and Australian markets which reacted to a negative Dow overnight.
"The Dow however, is trying to defend that 10 000 level, and was boosted by better than expected consumer confidence data."
Dow Jones Newswires reports that US stocks erased early losses on Tuesday as a better-than-expected reading of consumer confidence provided some encouragement to investors bracing for slower economic growth.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 43 points, reclaiming the 10 000 level. Stocks wiped out an early decline, following after consumer confidence increased more than expected in August, raising expectations about future economic activity.
"Housing is continuing to be really weak. The jobs market is the thing the market's most concerned about," said Bill Vaughn, portfolio manager at Evercore Wealth Management, who said the economy still seems to be haltingly improving in a "stair-step" fashion.
"That's a normal pattern whether it's the macro-economy or the market," he said.
The market weathered mixed housing and manufacturing data earlier in the morning, helping benchmark indexes stay above key support levels.
Investors fretting over the pace of the economic recovery have been closely focused on the Federal Reserve's assessment of the economy. In the early afternoon, the central bank will release the minutes from the August 10 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee.