Share prices on the Johannesburg stock Exchange (JSE) closed firmer on Wednesday.

The all share index was up 1.01 percent to 52,905.98 points, while the top 40 index was 0.7 percent up at 46,674.35 points.

The JSE was pushed higher by the industrial stock which gained 0.74 percent higher.

The South African rand traded at R13.24 to the U.S. dollar, 1.85 percent firmer than its overnight close in New York.

Bidvest, an industrial conglomerate was up 3.08 percent to R159.13 while private equity group Brait gained 1.73 percent to R63.38.

The share prices of the four big banks were all higher. Standard Bank traded 2.99 percent higher at R1468.88 and Nedbank gained 1.27 percent to R207.69. Barclays Africa was 2.97 percent stronger at R144.05 and FirstRand added 2.74 percent to R48.8.

MTN group added 1.55 percent to R118.73 and Pioneer Foods gained 1.95 percent to R130.96.