The rand advanced the most in a week as gold and platinum, which accounted for almost a fifth of South Africa’s exports last year, climbed and as the euro rose against the dollar. South Africa’s currency gained as much as 0.6 percent, the most since Nov. 6, to 8.7471 per dollar and traded at 8.7592 by 8:33 a.m. in Johannesburg. Yields on benchmark 10.5 percent bonds due December 2026 were unchanged at 7.67 percent. Gold for immediate delivery advanced as much as 0.3 percent on concerns that U.S. lawmakers may fail to reach an agreement on budget issues by year-end, risking a recession and boosting the need for a protection of wealth. Platinum rose to a three- week high as labor disputes in South Africa, the biggest producer, threaten output. Gold accounted for more than 10 percent of South Africa’s exports last year, while platinum made up 8 percent of external sales, according to government data. “About the only obvious drivers for some rand resilience this morning is the rally in the platinum price and the recovery in the euro,� ETM Analysts, including Johannesburg-based George Glynos, said in e-mailed statements. The euro, the currency of South Africa’s largest trading region, gained as much as 0.2 percent to 1.2717 per dollar. South Africa’s retail sales probably expanded 4.8 percent in September from a year earlier, according to the median estimate of 12 economists polled by Bloomberg, down from 6.4 percent in August. Statistics South Africa releases the data at 1 p.m. in Pretoria. To contact the reporter on this story: Stephen Gunnion in Johannesburg at sgunnion@bloomberg.net; To contact the editor responsible for this story: Vernon Wessels at vwessels@bloomberg.net

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