Money SA economy
The rand was range bound in afternoon trade on Friday amid thin trade.
At 3.41pm local time the rand was bid at R7.32 to the dollar, R9.53 to the euro and R11.42 to the pound. A local dealer said: "It's a typical end of the month market at present, with the rand in a 7.30-38 range, lacking any real direction."
The trader noted that the local currency did not react to Customs & Excise figures released on Friday.
South Africa recorded a trade surplus of R5.629 billion for its trade with non-Southern African Customs Union trading partners in June, after a deficit of R302 million in May and a steeper deficit of R1.889 billion April.
A R1.1 billion deficit had been expected, a survey by I-Net Bridge found. Forecasts among the leading economists surveyed varied from a R3 billion deficit to a R0.6 billion surplus.
Dow Jones Newswires reports that GDP in the US grew by 2.4% in the second quarter, slightly below the 2.5% expected by economists.
Month-end trading contributed to volatile activity immediately after the data, with the euro gaining ground against the dollar and then surrendering it.
The euro's inability to rally decisively reflected continued underlying concern about risk-related pressures on the common currency.
