The JSE remained in the black at midday on Tuesday, boosted by commodity stocks on firmer metal prices, but continued profit taking and shaky overseas markets dampened the overall mood, traders said.

By 12.01am, the share index was up 0.52 percent, lifted by a 4.39 percent rise in platinum miners and a 2.37 percent gain in resources. The gold mining index added 0.17 percent. Banks were down 1.85 percent, financials lost 2.25 percent and industrials weakened 0.83 percent.

The rand was bid at 7.55 to the dollar, unchanged from when the JSE closed on Monday, while gold was quoted at $973.80 a troy ounce from $963.85 at the JSE's last close.

Traders said although mining stocks had much more downside risk than other stocks, firming metal prices opened buying opportunities.

"Metal prices are nudging higher this morning and that's pretty much what's keeping us in the black," on trader said.

However, Hennie Fourie, a trader at Cape Town-based PSG Konsult, noted that there was "a lot more value in stocks such as industrials, banks and financials than in mining stocks because mining stocks have had strong runs in the past few months".

Global markets were mixed, with Japan's Nikkei ending up 2.98 percent, catching up after being closed for a holiday on Monday, but European shares were down sharply in early trade with the London FTSE 100 slipping 1.48 percent and the Paris CAC 40 losing 0.65 percent.

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