Rand gains but hamstrung by Eskom moves

Johannesburg - The rand was a tad stronger against the dollar early on Monday as China's move to cut reserve requirements lifted sentiment, but traders said Greece's fiscal woes and load shedding could limit gains.

At 08:15 the rand was trading 0.27% stronger at R12.0330/$ compared with its closing level on Friday.

In fixed income, the yield for the 2026 benchmark was flat at 7.860%.

China's central bank on Sunday cut the amount of cash that banks must hold as reserves, the second industry-wide cut in two months, adding more liquidity to bolster slowing growth.

"The rand will be boosted by China’s weekend cut in reserve requirements this morning, but the broader trend is the threat of weakness as Greece’s problems return to market focus," said John Cairns, currency trader at Rand Merchant Bank.

"Eskom also remains in focus, with the country having suffered eight straight days of load shedding but the company having gained a new chief executive," he added.

READ: Transnet CEO Brian Molefe now acting CEO of Eskom

Shut out of bond markets and with financial aid frozen, Greece is perilously close to running out of cash and could be forced to choose between making debt payments or paying public salaries and pensions.

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