The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) slipped in red on Friday after a rally in the previous day.

At close on Friday, the all share index traded 0.27 percent lower at 55,724.67 points, while the top 40 index was 0.32 percent softer at 49,274.03 points. The Industrial index slipped only 0.16 percent, as heavyweights like Richemont made solid gains and Steinhoff was 0.58 percent higher at R65.65.

Among stocks on the JSE, resources giant BHP lost 2.32 percent to R239.67 and Exxaro resources dropped 0.48 percent to R125.88.

The financial index was 0.06 percent up with FirstRand's earnings growth of 7 percent. Sanlam announced a 19 percent drop in half-year profit.

The resources index was 1.03 percent softer, and the gold price tumbled 0.24 percent to 1,350 U.S. dollars an ounce.

Nedbank was unchanged at R204.9 and Barclays Africa traded lower 0.11 percent to R142.

Sanlam, which lost 1.2 percent on Thursday after its 19 percent earnings drop, traded 1.1 percent weaker at R67.6.

Vodacom was 0.43 percent lower at R164.99, and MTN lost 1.47 percent to R122.05.

Gold miners rose, with AngloGold Ashanti gaining 0.09 percent to R137.63 and Harmony Gold gaining 2.32 percent to R27.34.

Impala Platinum was up 1.21 percent to R40.99, and Royal Bafokeng Platinum added 1.95 percent to R41.29.

PPC improved 2.58 percent to R6.35.