At 0645 GMT, the rand traded at 13.5900 per dollar, not far off its overnight close of 13.5975.

Emerging market currencies have been pressured in past weeks by expectations of a US rate rise, and more recently by signals that a more hawkish policymaker could take over as US Federal Reserve chief next year.

A dim local economic outlook has also weighed on the rand.

Stocks were set to open higher at 0700 GMT, with the JSE securities exchange's Top-40 futures index up 0.55 percent.

In fixed income, the yield for the benchmark government bond due in 2026 was flat at 8.615 percent.