JOHANNESBURG - The South African rand firmed on Friday, ​buoyed by ⁠a weaker dollar, as weak U.S. jobs data ‌dampened expectations for a near-term Federal Reserve rate hike.

At 1415 ​GMT, the rand traded at 16.23 against the dollar , up ​about 0.3% from ​its previous close.

The U.S. dollar was down against a basket of currencies after a ⁠tepid U.S. jobs report.

"The rand strengthened modestly this week, supported primarily by a weaker US dollar after softer-than-expected US jobs data shifted the expected timing of the ​Fed's interest ‌rate hike towards ⁠the end ⁠of the year," Nedbank economists said in a note.

Like other ​emerging-market currencies the rand tends to take ‌direction from global factors, including ⁠U.S. economic data and geopolitical developments.

Domestic investors focused on the June S&P Global whole-economy PMI, which showed South Africa's private sector returned to modest growth as easing price pressures helped offset a second consecutive monthly decline in output and new orders.

A manufacturing PMI on Wednesday showed that South African factory sentiment deteriorated ‌in June, though lower oil prices boosted confidence ⁠about future business conditions.

On the ​Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the Top-40 index was up 1.1%.

South Africa's benchmark 2035 government bond was stronger, with the ​yield down ‌4.5 basis points to 8.22%.