US data may have helped the rand turn a corner
The South African rand was recovering ahead of Thursday's U.S. inflation numbers but the data added weight to a potential USD/ZAR bearish reversal.
Thursday's data showed that September U.S. consumer prices rose 2.4% on an annual basis, the smallest gain in over 3-1/2 years, albeit above the Reuters poll consensus of 2.3%.
The rand had been on a weakening run since peaking at 17.0375 versus the dollar on September 30. The USD/ZAR rally to a 17.6750 October 9 high had been volatile and the choppy price action highlighted a market reluctant to push the ZAR down too far too quickly.
Improving domestic fundamentals, political stability and a favourable interest rate margin over the dollar have helped limit any damage to the rand from U.S. interest rate uncertainty and geopolitical risks.
USD/ZAR's bearish reversal could gather pace if a 50% Fibonacci retracement level off the 17.0375-17.6750 Sept. 27-Oct. 9 rally at 17.3563 is breached. A longer-term trend resistance line taken off the 18.6850 Aug. 9 high could be pivotal should the dollar fight back. The trend line comes in at 17.6310 today.
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USD/ZAR daily candle chart: https://tmsnrt.rs/3UtjI9F
(Peter Stoneham is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own)
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