JOHANNESBURG, July 12 (Reuters) – The following scheduled economic event, equity and currency market moves may affect South African markets on Friday.

ECONOMIC EVENTS

South Africa’s government will hold its weekly auction of inflation-linked bonds.

SOUTH AFRICAN MARKETS

The South African rand extended its gains on Thursday after U.S. inflation unexpectedly fell last month, fuelling bets that the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates in September.

On the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the blue-chip Top-40 index closed 0.9% higher.

GLOBAL MARKETS

The yen swung between losses and gains on Friday in volatile trade, reflecting investors’ skittishness after Tokyo was thought to have intervened to prop up the Japanese currency in the wake of a cooler-than-expected U.S. inflation report.

WALL STREET

The Nasdaq .IXIC ended sharply lower on Thursday, hit by losses in Nvidia, Apple and Tesla as investors rotated into smaller companies after softer-than-expected inflation data fed bets the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in September.

GOLD

Gold prices edged lower on Friday, but were headed for a third straight week of gains as cooler-than-expected U.S. inflation data boosted hopes of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates in September.

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Some of the main stories out in the South African press:

FIN 24

– ‘Not ashamed’: SA keen to boost trade with Russia, says Mantashe

– South Africans ‘jaded’, financially stressed and not hopeful for change, Sanlam survey finds

(Compiled by Tannur Anders)