Illustration photo shows a two-rand coin above a South African flag April 12, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration

JOHANNESBURG, June 4 (Reuters) – The South African rand slipped in early trade on Tuesday before the release of first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) data at 0930 GMT.

Economists polled by Reuters estimate that in the first three months of 2024 Africa’s most industrialised economy grew 0.1% in quarter-on-quarter terms ZAGDPN=ECI and 0.6% on a year-on-year basis ZAGDPY=ECI.

At 0615 GMT, the rand traded at 18.5525 against the dollar ZAR=D3, about 0.2% weaker than its closing level on Monday.

The rand, Johannesburg-listed stocks and government bonds gained on Monday as investors bet on the prospect of the African National Congress (ANC) striking a coalition deal with a market-friendly party after failing to get a majority in last week’s election.

Political parties have two weeks to work out a deal before the new parliament sits and chooses a president, still likely to be ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa since the party remains the biggest force.

(Reporting by Alexander Winning; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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