The South African rand strengthened against the dollar on Tuesday, buoyed by rising precious metal prices and global economic jitters, as markets awaited Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s much-anticipated Budget speech.
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The South African rand strengthened against the dollar on Tuesday, buoyed by rising precious metal prices and global economic jitters, as markets awaited Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s much-anticipated Budget Speech.
As Godongwana prepares to take the podium, analysts and investors alike are watching for signals on how South Africa will balance fiscal discipline with its pressing infrastructure and growth needs.
By 6 pm local time, the rand traded at R18.19 to the dollar, up 1.46% from the previous session.
The local currency’s resilience was underpinned by a surge in gold prices, a key export for South Africa, amid growing unease over the US economic outlook and simmering trade tensions under President Donald Trump’s administration, according to Trading Economics.
Locally, however, all eyes were on the delayed Budget presentation, now set for Wednesday after being postponed last month due to coalition government wrangling over a proposed VAT hike.
Sources suggest the Treasury has scaled back its initial plan for a 2-percentage-point VAT increase, opting instead for a more modest 0.5-point rise. This compromise, while politically palatable, could force the government to trim ambitious spending plans unveiled last month, including a R46.7 billion injection aimed at reviving South Africa’s crumbling infrastructure.
“The rand’s firmness reflects both global tailwinds and domestic anticipation,” Trading Economics noted. “Investors are bracing for clarity on fiscal policy, especially after the coalition’s infighting delayed this critical address.”
Globally, the rand’s gains coincided with a faltering dollar and uncertainty rippling through stock markets. A Wall Street sell-off, triggered by fears that Trump’s trade policies could tip the US into recession, kept investors on edge. Attention is now turning to upcoming US consumer and producer price data, which will offer fresh inflation cues ahead of next week’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting, where the Federal Reserve is expected to update its economic forecasts.
Neil Wilson, an analyst at TipRanks.com, warned in a Tuesday note that Trump’s focus on tariffs and spending cuts might be a calculated gamble. He said that everyone assumed Trump would prioritise the stock market, but comments from Trump and his Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, indicate they are prepared to countenance some pain to get where they want to.
Wilson said, “After Monday’s market drop, a White House official downplayed the disconnect between stock market volatility and business sentiment, suggesting the latter matters more for the economy’s trajectory.”
Back home, the JSE All Share Index ended the day at 79 734 points, down 0.24%, signaling a cautious retreat. Trading Economics observed that while the index has softened by 0.51% over the past four weeks, its 18.68% climb over the last year underscores a robust long-term trend. “Forecasts for the bourse remain cautiously upbeat,” it said.
Ahead of the Budget, investor appetite for South African debt spiked. The government offloaded R3.75 billion in 2033, 2038, and 2040 bonds at auction on Tuesday, with demand soaring to R17.95bn, per Bloomberg data. The strong uptake reflects confidence in South Africa’s fiscal instruments, even as the nation navigates coalition politics and global headwinds.BUSINESS REPORT