WEDNESDAY, 12.00NOON
LATEST inflation figures from the Central Statistical Service shows the consumer price index pushing double figures in April, at 9,9%, its highest since topping 10% in June 1995.
April inflation showed a 0,3 percentage point increase over the 9,6% in March to give a month-on-month increase of 0,9%, seasonally adjusted to 0,6%. This annualises to an adjusted 8,5% rate or 10,0% unadjusted.
Increases were attributed to rises in the food price index (up 0,1 percentage points), tobacco products (up 0,1 percentage points), housing (up 0,1 percentage points), health and medical (up 0,3 percentage points), transport (up 0,1 percentage points), and other (up 0,2 percentage points.
Food prices were up by 0,7% in March, which annualises to a rate of increase in prices of 10,5%.
BUSINESS BRIEFS
AMPLATS SATRIKE ENDS The threat of a Labour Court interdict was withdrawn on Wednesday night when thousands of strikers at Amplats returned to work on the night shift. Notices had been served on the National Union of Mineworkers and the Mouthpiece Workers’ Union earlier in the day. Meanwhile, following NUM requests, police and mine security conducted hostel searches on Wednesday, removing two truckloads of homemade weapons and firearms and ammunition.
FINANCE MINISTRY PLANS DEPUTY Finance Minister Gill Marcus on Wednesday told Parliament that in the short term government intends to revamp legislation controlling collective investment schemes, regulate investment services in the wholesale securities market and by dealers in both listed and unlisted securities, strengthen insider trading laws, and revise insurance and pension fund legislation.