South African Markets - Factors to watch on Sept 14

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect South African markets on Monday.

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GLOBAL MARKETS

The dollar crawled up on Monday from a one-year low against a basket of currencies as speculators unwound bets against the U.S. currency, while the yen's surge drove Tokyo shares down 2 percent.

Oil dropped about $1 a barrel to near $68 and gold prices dipped on the dollar's slight gains, even as investors remained nervous that the rise was only a brief respite in a deeper slide. [ID:nSP482802]

SOUTH AFRICAN ECONOMY

South Africa must accelerate economic growth to ease the impact of the global economic crisis which has hit the poor hardest, President Jacob Zuma said on Saturday. [ID:nLC339479]

SOUTH AFRICAN MARKETS

South Africa's rand advanced to a fresh 13-month high against the dollar on Friday taking advantage of a broadly weaker U.S. currency and a rallying gold price while stocks climbed for a second day.

The Johannesburg Top-40 index .JTOPI was up 0.85 percent to 23,005.09 points, while the All Share index .JALSH rose 0.99 percent to 25,567.39 points. [ID:nLB35646]

SASOL (SOLJ.J)

Petrochemicals group Sasol (SOLJ.J) on Monday reported a 33 percent drop in full-year headline earnings and said it expects earnings for the 2010 financial year to fall year-on-year. [ID:LA337680]

MTN (MTNJ.J)

A South African minister expressed caution over the proposed tie-up between South African MTN (MTNJ.J) and Indian Bharti Airtel (BRTI.BO), casting doubt over whether the deal will get a nod from government. [ID:nLD446103]

Separately, small MTN (MTNJ.J) investors want more money from India's Bharti Airtel (BRTI.BO) for a planned multi-billion dollar tie-up, casting doubt over whether they will step in line if the two reach a deal. [ID:nLB248188]

ESKOM [ESCJ.UL]

South Africa's power utility Eskom [ESCJ.UL] faces considerable pressure to sustain long-term coal supplies, its chief executive said in remarks broadcast on Saturday. [ID:nLC299914]

GOLD XAU=

Gold prices erased earlier gains and fell on Monday, as the dollar rebounded on short-covering and dragged down other commodities' prices and equities.

Gold prices topped $1,000 per ounce last week and closed above that level on Friday for the first time since March 2008, as investors sold the dollar to buy higher-yielding and riskier assets on growing optimism about the outlook for the global economy. [GOL/]

WALL STREET

U.S. stocks broke a five-day winning streak on Friday on a drop in crude oil prices but posted solid gains for the week.

Data showing a stronger-than-expected rise in consumer sentiment and a bright outlook from shipper FedEx (FDX.N) on Friday were not enough to motivate buyers in an equities market recently saturated with good news, analysts said. [.N]

EMERGING MARKETS

For the top emerging markets news, double click on [nTOPEMRG]

ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said on Sunday he would not tolerate persecution of members of parliament or violation of the law by President Robert Mugabe, after an EU delegation called for implementation of power sharing. [ID:nLD473058]

Separately, African oil firms Engen Petroleum and KenolKobil said they plan to buy BP (BP.L) and Shell's (RDSa.L) Zimbabwe assets in anticipation of growth under a unity government formed earlier this year. [ID:nLB132659]

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Some of the main stories out of the South African press:

BUSINESS DAY

- Ruling ANC party "coup" claim stirs battle for succession

- Rand, gold on winning run as dollar wilts

BUSINESS REPORT

- Central Rand Gold (CRDJ.J) faces probe by Financial Services Board and the police

- Standard Bank (SBKJ.J) gets $1 billion loan facility out of China

- Eskom chief faces grilling on staff letter, coal woes

THE STAR

- Runner Caster Semenya "sacrificed for medal": S.Africa athletics bosses say their constitution doesn't recognise sex tests

(Reporting by Serena Chaudhry)