Helmo Preuss
Guest Author
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/ 24 March 2006

SA February PPI seen steady at 5,5% y/y

South Africa’s February 2005 producer price index (PPI) is expected to remain at January’s 5,5% year-on-year (y/y) increase. According to an I-Net Bridge survey of economists, the range is from 4,9% y/y to 5,9% y/y. The optimists expect the stronger rand to have kept factory gate prices subdued, while the pessimists believe rising oil and other commodity prices will lead to higher producer prices.

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/ 17 February 2006

Petrol price: Good news may be in store

The Department of Minerals and Energy could implement a retail petrol price cut of about 15 cents per litre (c/l) on March 1, given recent trends in both the rand exchange rate and oil prices, reversing the 14c/l increase implemented this month. The retail petrol price is adjusted monthly on the first Wednesday of the month.

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/ 15 February 2006

Manuel tables conservative Budget

South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel on Wednesday tabled a conservative Budget, eschewing corporate and individual income tax rate cuts, even though the revenue over-run in the 2005/06 fiscal year is projected at R41-billion. Compared with last year’s Budget, when the fiscal deficit to gross domestic product ratio was forecast to remain near 3% over the medium term, Manuel this year reduced that to the 1,5% level.

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/ 13 February 2006

Petrol price could drop by 12 cents a litre

The Department of Minerals and Energy could implement a retail petrol-price cut of about 12 cents per litre (c/l) on March 1, given recent trends in both the rand exchange rate and oil prices. The retail petrol price is adjusted monthly on the first Wednesday of the month in accordance with the previous averaging period’s over- or under-recovery.

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/ 8 February 2006

Budget: Economists expect personal tax cut

Strong South African government revenue growth should allow Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel to cut personal taxes by about R20-billion when he announces the 2006/07 Budget on Wednesday February 15. But economists are divided on whether the tax relief will come in the form of adjusting brackets or a reduction in the top marginal tax rate.

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/ 30 January 2006

Business leaders upbeat on SA growth

Business leaders and economists are very upbeat in their expectations for South Africa’s general economic prospects in years to come, the Bureau for Market Research said on Monday. A panel of 13 economists expects an average growth rate in excess of 3% per annum between 2005 and 2010 and growth of 3,6% per annum for the period 2011 to 2025.

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/ 8 December 2005

November PPI seen easing to 4,1%

South Africa’s November 2005 producer price index (PPI) is expected to ease to a 4,1% year-on-year (y/y) increase from 4,2% y/y in October and 4,6% y/y in September. According to an I-Net Bridge survey of economists, the range is from 3,7% y/y to 4,3% y/y. The expected easing is due to a reduction in the price of imported crude oil.