UPDATE 1-South Africa’s rand stabilises; stocks drop

Updates rand, adds stocks

JOHANNESBURG, May 12 (Reuters) – The South African rand stabilised on Thursday, staying resilient despite a strong dollar, weak economic data and a pickup in local COVID-19 infections.

At 1615 GMT, the rand ZAR=D3 traded at 16.1450 per dollar, around 0.1% weaker than its previous close.

That was a modest decline given the dollar climbed to a new 20-year high =USD on concerns that central bank actions to counter high inflation would crimp global economic growth. nL2N2X41MA

March mining output fell more than expected, and March manufacturing production declined 0.8% year-on-year versus predictions for a 0.9% fall. South Africa’s daily reported COVID infections on Wednesday crossed 10,000 for the first time since January. nJ8N2SY00W nJ8N2SY00Y nL5N2X377A

On the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the All-Share index .JALSH closed 1.7% weaker, while the Top-40 index .JTOPI fell 1.85%.

Gold and platinum miners were the main drag on the bourse as bullion and other precious metals dropped, with palladium shedding more than 6%, as investors flocked to the dollar driven by bets the U.S. Federal Reserve will stick to aggressive rate hikes. GOL/

Anglo American Platinum AMSJ.J was at the bottom of the bourse, down 6.85%, while Sibanye-Stillwater SSWJ.J, Northam Platinum NPHJ.J, AngloGold Ashanti ANGJ.J and Harmony Gold HARJ.J fell 6.69%, 6.25%, 5.98% and 5.83% respectively. The mining index .JMINI slumped 5.79%.

ArcelorMittal South Africa ACLJ.J fell 5.97% as a strike entered a second day after wage negotiations broke down. nL5N2X42BL

(Reporting by Alexander Winning, Nqobile Dludla and Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo; Editing by Alison Williams)

((Olivia.Kumwenda@thomsonreuters.com; +27 10 346 1084))