/ 12 June 1997

Stals hints at R160 000 limit

THURSDAY, 8.30AM

RESERVE BANK governor Chris Stals, at a conference in Warsaw, was reported last night (Wednesday) to have hinted that the ceiling for individual South African investment abroad will be set at around R160 000. Stals said the figure would only be settled next week, but would be in the region of R160 000.

Stals was also cautious about whether bank rates would ease in the second half of the year, saying the credit rate remained too high, with private sector credit growing at about 17% against he desired 12-13%. He said the bank would want to study the statistics closely in the second half before making a decision.