JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -The South African rand was weaker in early Thursday trade, with markets awaiting the release of domestic economic indicators and U.S. consumer inflation data due later in the day.
At 0656 GMT, the rand was trading at 17.52 against the dollar, down about 0.3% on Wednesday’s close.
The South African Reserve Bank will publish second-quarter current account data at 0900 GMT, with analysts polled by Reuters expecting a deficit of 0.7%, wider than the 0.5% deficit reported in the previous quarter.
The country’s statistics agency will follow shortly with the release of July mining output figures at 0930 GMT and manufacturing production numbers for the same month at 1100 GMT.
Reuters economists estimate mining output grew 3.2%, up from an increase of 2.4% in June. They predict manufacturing will decline 0.6% compared with a rise of 1.9% previously.
The dollar last traded flat against a basket of currencies as global investors wait for U.S. CPI data which could offer further clues to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate path.
South Africa’s benchmark 2035 government bond also weakened in early deals, with the yield rising 2 basis points to 9.5%.
(Reporting by Sfundo Parakozov; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
