South African Markets - Factors to watch on March 18

JOHANNESBURG, March 18 (Reuters) - The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect South African markets on Thursday.

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GLOBAL MARKETS

Asian stocks hovered near a two-month high on Thursday, with expectations for continued low global interest rates and modest inflation expected to support equity markets in the near term.

MSCI's index of Asia Pacific ex-Japan stocks .MIAPJ0000PUS was trading nearly unchanged on the day. The index has risen 8.4 percent since February compared with 5.2 percent on the all-country world index .MIWD00000PUS. [ID:nSGE62H03J]

SOUTH AFRICAN MARKETS

South African stocks hit a near nine-week high on Wednesday, extending gains from the previous session with banks among the top gainers on a stronger rand and better-than-expected retail sales data.

The rand hit a 2-1/2 month high versus the dollar, and a two-year high against the euro, as risk appetite rose globally and on growing signs the local economy is on the mend. Government bonds held onto recent gains.

The Johannesburg bourse's blue chip Top-40 .JTOPI added 1.03 percent to 25,615.71 points, a level last seen on Jan. 14, and the broader All-share index .JALSH gained 0.99 percent to 28,530.94 points. [ID:nLDE62G1ZV]

CIPLA MEDPRO (CMPJ.J)

South African generic drugs group Cipla Medpro (CMPJ.J) posted a 26.8 percent rise in full-year profit helped by its relationship and product pipeline from its Indian partner. [ID:nLDE62H01F]

KUMBA IRON ORE (KIOJ.J)

South Africa's Kumba Iron Ore (KIOJ.J), a unit of global miner Anglo American Plc (AAL.L), said on Wednesday it would appeal against the granting of a prospecting right in its Sishen mine to a third party.

GOLD XAU=

Gold slipped on Thursday as the U.S. dollar strengthened against other currencies, while there were concerns that a failure to sustain recent highs could prompt some investors to shift their money to stocks or bonds. [GOL/]

WALL STREET

U.S. stocks gained on Wednesday, pushing the Dow to a 17-month high, after a benign February inflation reading supported the Federal Reserve's renewed pledge of low interest rates.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI gained 47.69 points, or 0.45 percent, to end at 10,733.67. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX rose 6.75 points, or 0.58 percent, to 1,166.21. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC advanced 11.08 points, or 0.47 percent, to 2,389.09. [.N]

EMERGING MARKETS

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

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

BUSINESS DAY

- "Cut rate" industrial plan set to fail- ArcelorMittal South Africa

- Third party twist to iron-ore dispute

- Old Mutual (OMLJ.J) builds buffer for double dip

- Profit falls, but Aveng (AEGJ.J) has big pile of cash for acquisitions

BUSINESS REPORT

- Transnet [TRAN.UL]

- Retail sales data signal consumers are reviving

- Aveng cuts jobs as profit slumps (Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng)