Consumer confidence plunged to a nine-year low during the first quarter of this year‚ signalling that household spending would be subdued this year.
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/ 7 September 2006
South Africa’s central bank warned on Thursday that interest rates may have to rise again to curb soaring consumption in the continent’s biggest economy and said the rand is adjusting to a widening current account gap. The Reserve Bank has already raised its key repo rate by a full percentage point to 8% in two moves since June.
South Africa’s gold and foreign exchange reserves edged up during July, but at a slow pace, showing that the country’s central bank was inactive in currency markets while the rand remained volatile. Figures from the South African Reserve Bank showed that net reserves rose to ,447-billion at the end of July from ,185-billion at the end of June.
Supporters of Nepad will throw the floor open to global business in their bid to win financial backing for the initiative at an annual forum in Durban this week.
South African Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni has opposed the government’s plans for a single financial regulator, fuelling speculation of a rift with the Treasury over the issue.
South Africa’s Finance Minister Trevor Manuel is likely to tackle the thorny issue of whether the country’s inflation targets should be adjusted when he unveils his three-year budget plans on Tuesday, analysts say.