JOHANNESBURG: South Africa's rand was largely unchanged against the dollar in early trade on Thursday, as investors awaited U.S. job numbers, which could impact appetite for emerging markets by giving pointers on the timing of the next U.S. interest rate hike.

Rand eases just 0.11 percent to trade at 13.7300/dollar by 0651 GMT after closing Wednesday's session in New York at 13.7150.

Government debt also mostly flat, with yield for 10-year paper dipping half a basis point to 8.645 percent.

Blue chip futures index inches edges up 0.31 percent, pointing to a slightly firm start for the Johannesburg stock market at 0700 GMT.

Copyright Reuters, 2016