Broad US dollar strength and waning investor risk appetite continued to pose obstacles for the local currency, which had softened 0.02 percent to 11.6305 per greenback by 0655 GMT.
With market activity thin, the rand is not expected to test a recent support level around the 11.7000 mark ahead of the trade numbers at 1200 GMT.
South Africa recorded a 21 billion rand trade deficit for October, but economists polled by Reuters predict the November figure will narrow to a shortfall of only 7 billion.
In fixed income, local bonds were flat, with the yield on the benchmark government issue due in 2026 unmoved at 8.035 percent.