South Africa's rand strengthens to 1-week high versus dollar

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa's rand firmed to a new one-week high against the dollar on Thursday, trading at 11.9300 by 1355 GMT as the greenback softened ahead of widely watched U.S. employment data due on Friday.

"The dollar is softer across the board ahead of holidays, and especially ahead of the nonfarm payrolls that come out tomorrow, so you'll find some position lightening at the moment," said Lee Naisbitt, a currency trader at Rand Merchant Bank, referring to Friday and Monday public holidays.