Stocks ended higher on Monday led by heavyweight miners, but gave up some of their gains on a weak start in New York and a stronger rand.

The JSE's broader all share index ended 0.57 percent stronger, as resources added 1.25 percent. The platinum mining index added 0.74 percent but the gold mining index fell 0.71 percent and. Industrials edged up 0.11 percent, banks climbed 1.02 percent but financials lost 0.66 percent.

The rand was bid at 7.74 to the dollar from 7.76 when the JSE closed on Friday, while gold was quoted at $918.33 a troy ounce from $912.42 at the JSE's last close.

"We opened almost 300 points higher but we started to retreat after Europe turned weaker and after Wall Street started on a negative note," said Lavan Gopaul, a trader at Cortex Securities.

Gopaul added that the firmer rand, which when strong erodes competitiveness of export-oriented stocks, added to the strain on the local market.

However, anticipation of strong results and positive corporate news from several blue chip stocks such as Pick 'n Pay, BHP Billiton, Lonmin and MTN Group helped the market hold on to its gains, he said.

On the JSE, resources group Anglo American improved 1.15 percent to 526.99 rand, BHP Billiton gained 2.06 percent to 282.08 rand and Sasol added 2.21 percent to 449.98 rand.

AngloGold Ashanti added 1.90 rand to 289.90 rand while Gold Fields fell 1.96 percent to 112.94 rand.

Anglo Platinum was off 10 rand at 1340 rand, Impala Platinum was up 1.50 percent to 338 rand and Lonmin lifted 1.94 percent to 500.73 rand.

In the news, tile retailer Cashbuild rallied 7.14 percent to 57 rand, after saying quarterly revenue was up 19 percent on the same quarter last year.

Financial services group PSG Group rallied 5.35 percent to 19.90 rand despite reporting a 43.2 percent decline to 295.1 cents in headline per share for year to February.

Marine transportation group Grindrod rallied 6.67 percent to 25.60 rand after saying interim profits will rise between 55 percent and 75 percent on the same period a year ago.

Elsewhere, life insurer Sanlam slumped 5.29 percent to 20.60 rand as the counter began trading ex-dividend. Old Mutual was down 2.06 percent to 19.05 rand.

I-Net Bridge