* As of 0640 GMT, the rand was 0.1 percent firmer at 14.4250 per dollar, little changed from its close of 14.4400 overnight in New York.

* The currency sank to 14.4925 in the European session as ongoing nation-wide electricity outages by state utility Eskom dampened sentiment.

* Public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan plans to brief the media on Tuesday on the government's plans for the troubled power utility.

* The greenback was dragged to near two-week lows by growing expectations the Federal Reserve would adopt a more accommodative policy outlook this week, while keeping its benchmark interest rate unchanged.

* Government bonds also firmed, with the yield on the benchmark instrument maturing in 2026 down 1.5 basis points to 8.68 percent.