JOHANNESBURG, March 20 (Reuters) - The following scheduled economic events, company announcements, equity and currency market moves may affect South African markets on Friday.

ECONOMIC EVENTS

Inflation-linked bond auction

COMPANIES

The Foschini Group trading update

SOUTH AFRICAN MARKETS

The South African rand held steady on Thursday as investors assessed the U.S. Federal Reserve's hawkish stance, which dampened expectations for near-term interest rate cuts, while conflict in the Middle East kept risk sentiment fragile..JZAR/

WALL STREET

Wall Street ended lower on Thursday, with declines in Micron Technology and Tesla, as worries about inflation stemming from soaring oil prices left investors pessimistic about the potential for future interest rate cuts..N

GLOBAL MARKETS

Oil prices eased on Friday while bonds were nursing losses, after global central bankers sounded the alarm on inflation risks stemming from the ongoing war in the Middle East that has sent markets into a tailspin. MKTS/GLOB

GOLD

Gold prices rose on technical buying, but were headed for a third consecutive weekly decline, pressured by a firm U.S. dollar and as a hawkish U.S. Fed dampened hopes for near-term interest rate cuts.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

- SA slaps hefty tariff on Chinese structural steel imports

- Prasa talks rail revival as fuel price hikes 'highlight need for better public transport'

NEWS24

- War shock: Tau warns SA exports could take R14bn hit in just 90 days

(Compiled by Anathi Madubela)

((Anathi.Madubela@thomsonreuters.com))