South African stocks opened in the red on Monday weighed by resource stocks as commodity prices came under pressure on the back of a stronger US dollar.
At 09.27am the JSE all share index had lost 1.19 percent, with resources falling 2.09 percent, gold miners declining 2.12 percent and platinum producers down 1.74 percent.
Banks weakened 0.87 percent, financials were down 0.60 percent and industrials gave up 0.44 percent.
The rand was bid at R7.43/$, from R7.35/$ when the JSE closed on Friday.
Gold was quoted at $1 155.90 a troy ounce from $1 190.73/oz at the JSE's last close, and platinum was at $1 438/oz, from $1 448/oz the bourse's previous close.
"Even though the Nikkei was up this morning we saw that other bourses which have their biggest weight in resources, like Australia, were down. The dollar has strengthened a lot of the weekend."
"There seems to be an unwinding in carry trade and that supports the dollar," an equities trader said.
"The strong dollar puts commodity prices under pressure and because commodities have a strong weighting on our bourse we are down this morning," he said.
Dow Jones newswires reported that a sharp slowdown in US job losses last month pushed Bank of America, Boeing and the broader market higher on Friday, though a subsequent rally for the dollar weighed on commodities prices and stocks, including Exxon Mobil and Alcoa.
Setting up Friday's gains, the US Labour Department said non-farm payrolls fell by just 11 000 last month, slowing down from a downwardly revised 111 000 drop seen in October.
In addition, the unemployment rate edged lower to 10 percent in November from 10.2 percent.
Stocks rallied after the report, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average trading up roughly 150 points.
As the day progressed, however, stocks pared those gains on a pullback for steel and gold producers, with the index swinging wildly around the flat line for much of the afternoon.
At close, the Dow ended up 22.75 points, or 0.22 percent, to 10 388.90.
The index's strongest components were a series of large industrial firms, including Boeing, up 91 cents, or 1.7 percent, to 54.68, and United Technologies, which rose 1.06, or 1.6 percent, to 68.32.
Asian stock markets were mixed on Monday. On the upside, investors are taking heart from Friday's stronger-than-expected US jobs report, with Japanese exporters rallying after the yen's losses on Friday.
However, uncertainty over upcoming events, including US retail sales data, is set to persist, said Kwak Byoung-ryel at Eugene Investment & Securities in Seoul, adding he is yet to be convinced about a year-end rally.
Japan's Nikkei ended up 1.4 percent and the Hong Kong's Hang Seng was last down 0.6 percent.
European bourses are expected to open lower after ending higher on Friday, when they staged a sharp turnaround late in the session after data painted a much better-than-expected picture of the US economy.
Back in Johannesburg, Anglo American plc lost R8.29, or 2.54 percent, to R318.71 and BHP Billiton declined R6, or 2.52 percent, to R232.
Petrochemicals group Sasol was down R2.17 to R292.06.
Paper group Sappi weakened 54 cents, or 1.60 percent, to R33.21.
Kumba Iron Ore gave up R3.56, or 1.32 percent, to R267.
Among gold miners, AngloGold Ashanti fell R6, or 1.83 percent, to R322, Gold Fields gave up R2.45, or 2.21 percent, to R108.55 and Harmony declined R2.14, or 2.58 percent, to R80.96.
Platinum miner Anglo Platinum fell R12, or 1.53 percent, to R774, Impala Platinumdeclined R3.09, or 1.69 percent, to R179.91 and Lonmin was down R5, or 2.20 percent, to R222.50.
Among industrials on the JSE, brewer SABMiller was off R1.25 to R222.25 and Imperial shed R2.64, or 3.10 percent, to R82.61.
Banker Absa lost R1.98, or 1.55 percent, to R125.77 and FirstRand weakened 30 cents, or 1.69 percent, to R17.40.
Sugar group Illovo collected 40 cents, or 1.35 percent, to R30 but Tongaat Hulett declined R2.05, or 2.17 percent, to R92.50.
Retailer Pick n Pay gave up 65 cents, or 1.61 percent, to R39.70, JD Group declined 90 cents, or 1.97 percent, to R44.80 and Steinhoff was off 23 cents, or 1.22 percent, to R18.60, but Mr Price added 45 cents, or 1.38 percent, to R32.95 and Clicks edged up 29 cents, or 1.15 percent, to R25.49.
Construction group Aveng collected 49 cents, or 1.32 percent, to R37.59, but WBHO lost R2.30, or 2.27 percent, to R99.
Telecommunications group MTN Group weakened 38 cents to R115.72 and Telkom eased 18 cents to R37.47, but Vodacom was up 70 cents, or 1.25 percent, to R56.50. - I-Net Bridge
