South African rand gains, interest rates in focus this week
Updates prices as of 1509 GMT; adds trader's comment in paragraphs 4-5, 8
JOHANNESBURG, Sept 16 (Reuters) -The South African rand gained on Monday against a weaker dollar, as markets geared up for a week packed with interest rate announcements and a local inflation print.
At 1509 GMT, the rand traded at 17.65 against the dollar ZAR=D3, about 0.6% firmer than its previous close.
The dollar =USD last traded about 0.3% softer against a basket of peers.
"A weaker greenback is primarily driving the renewed strength in the rand today," said Kavir Surujhlal, junior sales trader at IG Group.
"We could see increased volatility in our local currency leading up to the U.S. and local (interest) rates announcement," Surujhlal added.
On Wednesday, local investors will look to South Africa's August consumer inflation figures ZACPIY=ECI. Consumer inflation fell to 4.6% year-on-year in July, only just above the level the South African central bank aims for, 4.5%.
Another reading near the target would further cement expectations for a rate cut from the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) on Thursday ZAREPO=ECI. Economists polled by Reuters predict a 25 basis point cut.
Surujhlal said the SARB's meeting could be overshadowed by the Federal Reserve's press conference, but local investors should pay careful attention to Governor Lesetja Kganyago's comments on the health of the domestic economy for potential clues on future rate cuts.
The U.S. Federal Reserve will announce its policy decision on Wednesday. Markets are betting the central bank of the world's biggest economy will cut rates but are divided on the size of the cut.
On the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the blue-chip Top-40 index .JTOPI closed down about 0.1%.
South Africa's benchmark 2030 government bond ZAR2030= gained, as the yield slipped 9 basis points to 8.825%.
Reporting by Tannur Anders; Editing by Alex Richardson and Jonathan Oatis
免责声明: XM Group仅提供在线交易平台的执行服务和访问权限，并允许个人查看和/或使用网站或网站所提供的内容，但无意进行任何更改或扩展，也不会更改或扩展其服务和访问权限。所有访问和使用权限，将受下列条款与条例约束：(i) 条款与条例；(ii) 风险提示；以及(iii) 完整免责声明。请注意，网站所提供的所有讯息，仅限一般资讯用途。此外，XM所有在线交易平台的内容并不构成，也不能被用于任何未经授权的金融市场交易邀约和/或邀请。金融市场交易对于您的投资资本含有重大风险。
所有在线交易平台所发布的资料，仅适用于教育/资讯类用途，不包含也不应被视为用于金融、投资税或交易相关咨询和建议，或是交易价格纪录，或是任何金融商品或非应邀途径的金融相关优惠的交易邀约或邀请。
本网站上由XM和第三方供应商所提供的所有内容，包括意见、新闻、研究、分析、价格、其他资讯和第三方网站链接，皆保持不变，并作为一般市场评论所提供，而非投资性建议。所有在线交易平台所发布的资料，仅适用于教育/资讯类用途，不包含也不应被视为适用于金融、投资税或交易相关咨询和建议，或是交易价格纪录，或是任何金融商品或非应邀途径的金融相关优惠的交易邀约或邀请。请确保您已阅读并完全理解，XM非独立投资研究提示和风险提示相关资讯，更多详情请点击 这里。
