* The rand was 0.03 percent stronger at 14.5500 per dollar at 0700 GMT, having closed in New York at 14.5550.

* Ramaphosa said on Tuesday that he had accepted former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene's resignation after Nene admitted to previously undisclosed meetings with the Gupta family, friends of scandal-plagued former president Jacob Zuma.

* The rand is expected to trade between 14.4000 and 14.7000 to the dollar on Wednesday, NKC African Economics wrote in a note.

* South Africa-focused investors were awaiting the release of SACCI business confidence data for September, due at 0930 GMT.

* In fixed income, the yield on the benchmark government bond due in 2026 fell 6 basis points to 9.180 percent, continuing to fall as the appointment of a new finance minister reduced political uncertainty.