At 1500 GMT the rand was 0.48pc firmer at 14.5000 per dollar, its strongest level since Feb. 24 and poised to reach a one-year high as the bullish case gathered momentum.
The loonie was trading 0.5pc lower at 1.2621 to the greenback, or 79.23 U.S. cents, having touched its weakest intraday level since March 31 at 1.2634.