The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) closed lower for the second consecutive trading sessions on Friday, in line with the global jittery as conflict between North Korea and the United States escalates.

The all-share index declined 1.98 percent to 55155.13 points, as industrial 25 and resource 20 indices dropped 1.41 percent and 1.55 percent, respectively.

The blue-chip top 40 lost 1.09 percent. Gold miners gained 0.69 percent as markets rallied from low base levels.

Among stocks on the JSE, Naspers was off 2.83 percent to R2764.53 and Imperial Holdings dropped 1.84 percent to R182.72.

BHP was off 2.56 percent to R2328. Anglo American lost 3.04 percent to R214.81 and Glencore lost 2.55 percent to R56.1.

Kumba shed 3.93 percent to R196.01, Exxaro Resources lost 3.27 percent to R110.30 and Lonmin dropped 3.09 percent to R14.74.

AngloGold Ashanti rose 0.28 percent to R130.39, and Harmony Gold gained 3.03 percent to R24.45.

Construction stocks were under the whip, with PPC down 4.67 percent to R3.76 and Group-5 lost 4.44 percent to R14.86.