The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) rose to a two-week high on Thursday, taking its lead from buoyant world markets, as the vote to decide Britain's future to remain in or out under way. The results of the voting should be known on Friday morning.

Resource shares led (0.56 percent) the charge as the dollar weakened, translating into relatively higher commodity prices. Gold was flat at $1281.61 an ounce.

Financial stocks (0.57 percent) up and retailers also held up decently, thanks partly to a stronger rand, which boosted rand-sensitive shares.

The rand had weakened against the major currencies at the close of session, with a US dollar costing R14.49, a British pound costing R21.38 and a euro costing R16.48.

At the same time, the stronger currency kept gains in check for some of the heavyweight industrial stocks. These left the all share index up just 0.05 percent to 53585.53 points at close of trade. The blue chip top 40 closed 0.05 lower.

Gold mining and resource shares offset losses in financial and industrial shares.

Among some individual stock prices, Anglo American was up 1.74 percent to R147.54, with Glencore gaining 2.04 percent to R32.95.

Amongst the top ten movers up was Kumba Iron Ore, whose shares rose 8.27 percent to sell at R92.00 after investors exchanged 1,103,872 shares in 2,676 deals. Anglo American Platinum gaining 1.74 percent to R147.53

Standard Bank was up 1.16 percent to R129.97, while RMB Holdings picked up 1.67 percent to R58.33.