South Africa's rand steady ahead of trade, PPI data
JOHANNESBURG, May 31 (Reuters) - South Africa’s rand held firm against the dollar early on Thursday, building on its previous-session strength ahead of trade and producer price inflation figures.
* At 0646 the rand was trading at 12.5200 to the dollar.
* The rand rallied on Wednesday as the greenback lost gains after lower-than-expected U.S. GDP numbers and an ease in worries about Italy’s political turmoil.
* Producer Price Inflation figures for April and trade balance data are due at 0930 GMT and 1200 GMT respectively.
* The yield on the benchmark government bond due in 2026 was down 3.5 basis points to 8.505 percent.
* The Johannesburg Stock Exchange opened firmly on the front foot, with the Top-40 index up 1 percent soon after the bell. (Reporting by Patricia Aruo Editing by Ed Cropley)