South African rand slips as US-Iran stalemate pushes oil prices higher
South African rand slips as US-Iran stalemate pushes oil prices higher JOHANNESBURG, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The South African rand slipped half a percent in early trade on Monday as the US-Iran standoff continued to drive oil prices higher, weighing on risk-sensitive currencies in oil-importing economies.
At 0734 GMT the rand traded at 16.40 against the dollar ZAR=D3, about 0.5% weaker than its previous close.
Oil prices climbed more than 3% on Monday with Brent crude futures LCOc1 last above $107 a barrel, after US President Donald Trump rejected a peace deal with Iran to resolve their conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
South Africa imports most of its fuel, leaving the economy vulnerable to swings in global oil prices since the Iran conflict began in late February.
"Volatility in the rand could be elevated this week as the data calendar is jam-packed with data out of the US, culminating in the US non-farm payrolls on Friday," said Andre Cilliers at TreasuryONE.
On the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the Top-40 index .JTOPI fell 1.7% in early trade.
Gold Fields GFIJ.J led losses, dropping about 13% after Australia's Northern Star Resources NST.AX said it had rejected an unsolicited A$38.7 billion ($27.1 billion) takeover approach.
South Africa's benchmark 2035 government bond ZAR2035= also weakened, as the yield rose 5.5 basis points to 8.855%.
(Reporting by Sfundo Parakozov; Editing by Sonali Paul)
((Sfundo.Parakozov@thomson))