South Africa's rand falls as dollar holds near 10-week high
JOHANNESBURG, Oct 29 (Reuters) - South Africa's randweakened against the dollar in early trade on Monday as thegreenback edged higher after data showed U.S. economic growthslowed less than expected and as global risk sentiment remainedfragile.
* At 0630 GMT, the rand traded at 14.6025 perdollar,0.14 percent weaker than its close on Friday.
* "Emerging market currencies are likely to trade weaker asthedollar opens stronger this morning following Friday's GDP datathat showed the U.S. slowed less than expected," Rand MerchantBank analyst Mpho Tsebe said in a note.
* Tsebe added: "The calendar is littered with key datareleasesthis week. Locally, the focus will be on the manufacturing PMIindicator, budget and trade data."
* The Treasury will publish monthly budget balance figuresonTuesday, while the revenue agency will release September tradenumbers on Wednesday.
* The rand has been under pressure since a gloomy budgetstatementby Finance Minister Tito Mboweni on Wednesday, but PresidentCyril Ramaphosa's investment conference on Friday that sawglobal firms pledged to invest a total of 290 billion rand($19.87 billion) offered some respite.
* In fixed income, the yield on the benchmark governmentbond duein 2026 was down 5 basis points at 9.38 percent.
($1 = 14.5979 rand)
(Reporting by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo, Editing by SherryJacob-Phillips)
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