The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) closed firmer on Friday with gains in resource and industrial shares offsetting losses in gold mining stocks.

The all-share index edged up 0.20 percent to 51,999.45 points at close of session as investors digest the news this week that the U.S. Federal Reserve had decided to leave interest rates on hold.

The Top 40 index traded 0.29 percent firmer at 45, 4440.23 points. Resources index was 0.20 percent up, with the Gold index losing 1.09 percent.

The South Africa rand was trading at R13.69 to the U.S. dollar, R17.71 to the British pound and R15.35 to the euro at 5 p.m. (CAT).

Source : XINHUA