The rand stood at 13.97 verses the greenback by 0558 GMT, a 0.13% decline compared with Tuesday's close.

The mood across emerging markets was not helped by U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to put tariffs on another $325 billion of Chinese goods.

South African government bonds were also slightly weaker, with the yield on the benchmark 2026 instrument rising 1.5 basis points to 8.040%.