By Sfundo Parakozov
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -South Africa’s rand, government bonds and stocks gained on Friday as investors mulled over the country’s hosting of a two-day Group of 20 finance meeting where participants agreed a final communique, the first since October 2024.
South Africa, under its presidency’s motto “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”, has aimed to promote an African agenda, with topics including the high cost of capital and funding for climate change action.
A communique indicates that G20 finance leaders have reached consensus on at least some key issues.
At 1503 GMT, the rand traded at 17.7050 against the U.S. dollar, up roughly 0.6% on Thursday’s close.
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s Top-40 index was last up 1.5% and the wider All-Share index up 1.4%, hovering around an all-time high.
Anchor Capital said in a research note that the local bourse was largely helped by mining sector stocks.
Shares in Gold Fields were last up 2%, with Harmony Gold up 1%, and Sibanye Stillwater up 4%.
The meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors stressed the importance of central bank independence and multilateralism as they sealed the communique, ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s August 1 deadline for country-specific tariffs.
Domestic investor focus next week will be on South Africa’s May business cycle leading indicator and June consumer inflation data for clues about the health of Africa’s most industrialised economy.
“(Inflation data) is unlikely to do much for the performance of the ZAR, given that the rates markets have already moved to price out the prospect of more than one more rate cut,” ETM Analytics said in a research note.
South Africa’s benchmark 2035 government bond also edged up, as the yield fell 1.5 basis points to 9.945%.
(Reporting by Sfundo Parakozov. Editing by Joe Bavier and Mark Potter)
