# South African rand ends 2025 on high note, gains nearly 13% on the dollar | Reuters

> South Africa's rand ended 2025 nearly 13% stronger against the US dollar, its biggest annual gain in 16 years and first yearly rise since 2019. Gains were supported by improved fiscal performance, success in containing inflation and a surge in precious-metal prices.

- Date: 2025-12-31 · published 2025-12-31T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: macro · region South Africa · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/21773-south-african-rand-ends-2025-on-high-note-gains-nearly-13-on-the-dollar-reuters
- Commodities: [South African Rand (ZAR per USD)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/USDZAR.md), [US Dollar (Broad)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/DXY.md)

## Why it matters

A stronger rand raises the local cost of imported feed inputs for South African buyers and can weigh on the rand-denominated price of grains imported from the US and Black Sea, while a weaker dollar generally supports dollar-priced commodities.

## Read by commodity

- DXY: bearish ▼
- USDZAR: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| DXY | 2024-08-27 | [Pound hits two-year high on dollar, gains on euro \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/29066-pound-hits-two-year-high-on-dollar-gains-on-euro-reuters.md) | +0.9% | -0.5% |
| DXY | 2026-09-01 | [South African Rand Gains Below 16 Per Dollar, Cuts War Loss](https://feedsoft.ai/events/18188-south-african-rand-gains-below-16-per-dollar-cuts-war-loss.md) | -0.6% | +2.1% |
| DXY | 2022-06-28 | [South African rand gains as dollar dips - Markets - Business Recorder](https://feedsoft.ai/events/41263-south-african-rand-gains-as-dollar-dips-markets-business-recorder.md) | +2.0% | +2.2% |
| DXY | 2022-12-28 | [Southeast Asian Currencies End the Year on a High Note – The Diplomat](https://feedsoft.ai/events/38475-southeast-asian-currencies-end-the-year-on-a-high-note-the-diplomat.md) | -0.2% | -2.2% |
| DXY | 2025-10-29 | [South African rand gains on expectations of Fed rate cut \| CNBC Africa](https://feedsoft.ai/events/22700-south-african-rand-gains-on-expectations-of-fed-rate-cut-cnbc-africa.md) | +1.0% | +0.5% |

## Sources

- reuters.com: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/south-african-rand-ends-2025-high-note-gains-nearly-13-dollar-2025-12-31/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.