Rand retreats ahead of inflation data, stocks seen higher

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February 17, 2016 8:50 PM

Stocks were set to open slightly higher at 0700 GMT, with the JSE securities exchange's Top-40 futures index up 0.3 percent.

A South African child holds a 50 rand note in a file picture - RTXI6ZY

South Africa's rand retreated on Wednesday ahead of a score of local and offshore data, including consumer inflation figures expected to shed light on the central bank's next interest rate move.

By 0645 GMT the rand had weakened 0.16 percent to 15.8145 per dollar as global risk sentiment soured with the recent rally in oil prices fizzling out, turning investors off riskier, commodity-linked assets.

As a result traders see the rand moving further away from technical resistance around 15.75 after gaining more than 3 percent against the dollar in the past two weeks.

Bonds tracked the weaker currency, with the benchmark issue due in 2026 adding 1 basis point to 9.175 percent.

Consumer inflation data due at 0800 GMT is set to draw market attention early on in the session as the headline figure approaches the central bank's upper target of 6 percent.

"If inflation is lower than expectations and it looks like we may have peaked, then investors should flood back into our high yielding assets," said currency trader at Standard BankWarrick Butler.

Statistics South Africa also publishes December retail sales figures in the session before attention shifts offshore to housing and industrial production data from the United States, as well as minutes of the Federal Reserve's January policy meeting.

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