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.

Citing false claims that white South Africans are being persecuted, Trump has cut aid to the country, publicly berated its president in the Oval Office and invited Afrikaners - descendants of early European settlers - to come to the United States as refugees.

President Donald Trump revealed new higher tariff rates for more than a dozen countries after hitting Japan and South Korea first earlier in the day.