The South African rand gained in early trade on Thursday before the release of domestic manufacturing data, while investors also kept a close tab on trade negotiations after U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariff threats.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa pushed back against U.S. President Donald Trump's imposition of a 30% tariff, saying that it was based on an inaccurate understanding of the two countries' trade and that negotiations with the U.

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has opposed what he calls the "unilateral" higher trade tariffs imposed on his country by the US. US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he would subject imports from South Africa to a new 30% tariff from 1 August.