The South African rand was steady on Monday as investors awaited a batch of month-end economic data to assess the state of Africa's largest economy and anti-immigration protests planned for Tuesday.

  • At 1415 GMT, the rand traded at 16.4626 to the dollar FX_IDC:USDZAR, up a whisker from its previous close.

  • The dollar TVC:DXY was flat against a basket of currencies, while oil prices rose on Monday following days of tit-for-tat strikes by the U.S. and Iran that underscored the fragility of their interim peace deal and again slowed energy shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

  • On the domestic front, investors will track releases including South Africa's money supply (ZAM3=ECI), private sector credit (ZACRED=ECI), the central bank's inflation expectations survey, as well as trade balance (ZATBAL=ECI) and budget balance (ZABUD=ECI) data.

  • ETM Analytics said in a note that these indicators may be overshadowed by Tuesday's anti-immigration protests and demonstrators' deadline forcing undocumented migrants to leave, which it flagged as the main near-term risk.

  • "Once this risk passes and the week progresses, the rand should begin to trade within a range more reflective of global oil prices and broader risk sentiment," said ETM Analytics.

  • On the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the Top-40 index TVC:SA40 was last up 0.1%.

  • South Africa's benchmark 2035 government bond (ZAR2035=) was weaker, as the yield rose 3.5 basis points to 8.22%.