johannesburg june 15 reuters  the south african rand extended its gains on thursday a day after the us federal reserve opted to keep interest rates unchanged at 1530 gmt the rand traded at 183000 against the dollar  025 stronger than its previous close on wednesday the rand gained over 1 to its strongest level in five weeks we have now seen ten consecutive days of gains a run only bettered twice in history  in 1994 and 2006 said rand merchant bank analysts in a research note adding that this recovery was the most rapid in this cycle the dollar index last traded at 10229 about 062 weaker than its closing level on wednesday like most emerging market currencies the risksensitive rand is susceptible to moves in global drivers such as us monetary policy and the dollar in the absence of local catalysts shares on the johannesburg stock exchange closed higher with both the broader allshare index jalsh and bluechip top40 index jtopi ending up about 06 south african financial markets are closed on friday on account of youth day south africas benchmark 2030 government bond was weaker with the yield up 35 basis points at 10740