JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – The South African rand stabilised on Friday after a week of volatility, with the focus turning to domestic inflation and retail sales figures next week.
Analysts and investors are gearing up for the mid-term budget on Nov. 1, when South Africa’s deteriorating public finances will be in the spotlight.
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At 1503 GMT, the rand traded at 19.0000 against the dollar, not far from its previous close of 19.0125.
Meanwhile, shares on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange dipped, with the Top-40 index closing about 0.7% lower.
South Africa’s benchmark 2030 government bond was weaker, with the yield up 6 basis points to 10.730%.
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The rand weakened on Monday on risk aversion linked to the Hamas attack on Israel, before gaining sharply on Tuesday and Wednesday on lower U.S. Treasury yields and dovish Fed comments.
It fell again on Thursday as U.S. inflation rose more than expected and local economic data points were mixed.