The South African rand approached 16.7 per USD, its lowest level since late July, pressured by a stronger dollar and ongoing risk aversion. The currency has struggled to regain ground after a volatile September, when rising Middle East tensions, persistent inflation concerns and weaker commodity prices weighed on sentiment. The domestic outlook remains challenging, with an expected fuel-price hike potentially adding to inflationary pressures. Meanwhile, a fresh PMI survey showed a renewed contraction in the country’s private sector in September, the weakest performance recorded so far this year.