JOHANNESBURG, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The following scheduled company announcements, equity and currency market moves may affect South African markets on Thursday.

COMPANIES

Gold Fields full-year earnings release

SOUTH AFRICAN MARKETS

The South African rand weakened on Wednesday, pressured by a stronger dollar that overshadowed domestic inflation and retail sales figures released by the country's statistics agency..JZAR/

On the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the blue-chip Top-40 index .JTOPI climbed more than 2%.

GLOBAL MARKETS

Asian stocks rose on Thursday, supported by gains in technology giants on Wall Street, while lingering U.S.-Iran tensions kept oil prices supported and left gold underpinned by safe-haven flows.MKTS/GLOB

WALL STREET

Wall Street ended higher on Wednesday, lifted by gains in Nvidia, Amazon and other technology-related heavyweights following recent jitters about artificial intelligence..N

GOLD

Gold prices were flat in thin trading on Thursday after rising more than 2% a day earlier, as investors waited for key U.S. inflation data that could influence the Federal Reserve's monetary policy path.GOL/

EMERGING MARKETS

For the top emerging markets news, double click on nTOPEMRG

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

BUSINESS DAY

- Glencore confident Eskom will slash power tariff for smelters

- Health minister distances himself from Aids drug tender row

NEWS24

- Govt plans new real estate powerhouse to invest in state property, civil servant homes

- Pan African 'not done yet' as growth gathers pace

(Compiled by Anathi Madubela)

((Anathi.Madubela@thomsonreuters.com))