The trade deficit unexpectedly shrunk to R6.5-billion in May as fewer vehicle imports offset the drop in platinum exports.
Inflation in Africa’s second biggest economy has bust out of the Reserve Bank’s target band again in May.
The power utility has asked industry to cut energy use and declared an emergency, noting load shedding as a virtual certainty.
The World Bank has revised South Africa’s economic growth forecast from 2.3% to 2% for 2014.
The purchasing managers index has dropped to a near five-year low as a four-month long strike in the platinum belt continues.
Weeks of rain in the north and east of the country will have an impact on infrastructure spend, construction revenues and even maize harvesting.
The unemployment rate fell to 24.1% or 50 000 according to Statistics South Africa data released on Tuesday.
Major cities in developing countries struggle to attract funds from international financing institutions, says Mayor Parks Tau.
The finance minister says government is monitoring the currency but a rate hike has done little to stem the depreciation of the rand.
GIll Marcus’s surprise announcement that the repo rate will increase to 5.5% is in line with recent actions taken in other emerging economies.