South African rand losses in the currency to look for higher-yield investments elsewhere and due to concerns over the impact of the economic slowdown in China, South Africa's largest export partner. By mid-January, economists were speculating that the Rand could expect to see further volatility for the rest of 2016. By 29 April, it reached its highest performance over the previous five months, exchanging at a rate of 14.16 to the United States dollar. Following the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union (EU), the Rand dropped in value over 8% against the United States dollar on 24 June 2016, the currency's
Hard currency Hard currency Hard currency, safe-haven currency or strong currency is any globally traded currency that serves as a reliable and stable store of value. Factors contributing to a currency's "hard" status might include the long-term stability of its purchasing power, the associated country's political and fiscal condition and outlook, and the policy posture of the issuing central bank. Safe haven currency is defined as a currency which behaves like a hedge for a reference portfolio of risky assets conditional on movements in global risk aversion. Conversely, a soft currency indicates a currency which is expected to fluctuate erratically or depreciate