Share prices on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) closed lower on Friday, as investors are worried about the chances of another credit downgrade for South Africa.

The South African rand steadied at R13.15 to the U.S. dollar from R13.11.

The all-share index closed 0.36 percent lower at 55,645.15 points, with the blue-chip top 40 also down 0.49 percent. The platinum index shed 2.78 percent, and banks lost 1.46 percent. Food and drug retailers added 0.33 percent and property gained 0.41 percent.

BHP ended 0.55 percent lower at R238.25 and Anglo American lost 0.51 percent to R236.06.

British American Tobacco added 2.35 percent to R849, and Steinhoff lost 1.51 percent to R62.05.

Sasol was down 1.87 percent to R393.57. Harmony Gold gained 3.02 percent to R27.3, but Impala Platinum was off 6.98 percent to 35.23.