JOHANNESBURG, Sept 22 (Reuters) – The South African rand was little changed on Monday as traders looked to this week’s local data releases for further clues on the health of Africa’s biggest economy.
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The rand traded at 17.33 against the dollar by 0825 GMT, within touching distance of Friday’s close.
Nedbank economists expect the central bank’s quarterly bulletin to report improvement in household finances in the second quarter after they deteriorated in the first three months of the year.
“The boost will come from higher wages and subdued inflation, which will support disposable income, while lower interest rates will ease debt burdens,” Nedbank said in a research note.
Economists polled by Reuters expect year-on-year producer inflation of 1.5% for August, unchanged from July.
The benchmark 2035 government bond strengthened, with the yield down 3.5 basis points at 9.13%.
Reporting by Anathi Madubela Editing by Alexander Winning and David Goodman