The South African rand edged weaker toward 16.4 per USD after having reached a more than one‑month high of 16.3 per USD on April 17. The pullback came as renewed US–Iran tensions spurred investors to move out of risk-sensitive assets and into the US dollar, which regained favor as a safe haven. The United States seized an Iranian cargo vessel it said had attempted to breach its blockade, triggering threats of retaliation from Tehran and casting doubt on the durability of the ceasefire.
Reports of a renewed shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz pushed oil prices higher, reigniting inflation concerns and bringing the prospect of additional interest rate hikes back into focus. At the same time, South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago noted that the impact of the Iran conflict on oil prices has intensified worries about inflation, while stopping short of giving a clear indication of the future path of interest rates.
