JOHANNESBURG, Oct 12 (Reuters) - The South African randfirmed against the globally hobbled dollar early on Friday aheadof the country's credit review announcement by ratings agencyMoody's later in the day.
* The rand was 0.85 percent stronger at 14.5100 perdollar at 0650 GMT, having closed in New York at 14.6350.
* The rand is expected to trade between 14.3500 and 14.7000to thedollar on Friday, NKC African Economics wrote in a note.
* Moody's is the last of the top rating agencies to havePretoria's long-term foreign-currency debt in investmentgrade.
* South Africa's stable outlook on its credit rating meansthereis little chance of a downgrade, Moody's said on Sept. 13, but acommitment to fiscal consolidation at the October budget wouldbe key to maintaining the positive rating.
* The rand was supported by theslightly-better-than-expectedSouth African manufacturing production data forAugust.
* Globally, the U.S. dollar traded at its lowest level thismonthagainst its major peers on Friday as declining U.S. treasuryyields and further losses on Wall Street soured sentiment.
* In fixed income, the yield on the benchmark governmentbond duein 2026 fell 1 basis points to 9.255 percent.
* Stocks are due open firmer at 0700 GMT, with the JSEsecuritiesexchange's Top-40 futures index up 1.10 percent. (Reporting by Nomvelo ChalumbiraEditing by Ed Stoddard)