By 1525 GMT the rand was 0.44% weaker at 14.8700 per dollar, retreating from a four-week high of 14.7400 touched earlier in the session.
The current account deficit was 4% of gross domestic product (GDP), the South African Reserve Bank said, wider than the average 3% forecast by economists surveyed by Reuters and than the 2.9% shortfall in the first three months.
"Intensifying global trade tensions could further depress South Africa's trade performance in coming quarters and could place added pressure on the current account deficit," said Elize Kruger, an economist at NKC African Economics.
In equities, the broader All-Share index climbed 1.04% to 55,476 points, while the blue chips Top-40 index gained 1.11% to 49,576 points.
South Africa's biggest insurer Sanlam rose 2.75% to 73.87 rand after its interim results were bolstered by its pan-African strategy. FirstRand gained 1.67% to 61 rand after it reported a rise in full-year profits.
"It was a good day, good earnings out," said Nick Kunze, portfolio manager as Sanlam Private Wealth.
In fixed income, the yield on the benchmark government bond due in 2026 added 3.5 basis points to 8.13%.
(Reporting by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo and Onke Ngcuka; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
