Die ekonomie minuut

Stage 6 load shedding is still with us and there are many reports about its impact on the economy. It is certain that this is holding back the growth of the economy. Exactly how harmful it is, is not easy to determine, but here is a brief summary of what economists think.

* The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

Hierdie week is ʼn aantal aanwysers bekend gemaak wat sê hoe dit met die ekonomie gaan. Hier is ʼn kort opssoming van die indiensnamesyfers, produsentepryse, kredietverlening, en nuwe voertuigverkope. Oor fase-6 beurtkrag praat ons nie eers nie!

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

This week, a number of indicators were released that say how the economy is doing. Here is a brief summary of the employment figures, producer prices, private sector credit extension, and new vehicle sales. We are not even talking about stage-6 load shedding!

* The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

Ek gesels die week oor hoe dit gaan met die ekonomie. Dit is nie ʼn eenvoudige storie van net goed of sleg nie – daar is ligpunte en bekommernisse. Aan die een kant lyk dit of daar tog ʼn bietjie verbruiks-besteding en ekonomiese groei momentum was in die eerste deel van die jaar. Maar aan die anderkant is daar tekens van ʼn afswaai ten midde stygende inflasie. Die skerp daling in FNB en die Buro vir Ekonomiese Ondersoek se verbruikersvertroue-indeks in die tweede kwartaal reflekteer die bekommernisse.

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

This week I'm chatting about how the economy is doing. It's not a simple story of just good or bad - there are bright spots and worries. On the one hand, there seems to have been some momentum in consumption spending and economic growth in the first part of the year. But on the other hand, there are signs of a downturn amid rising inflation. The sharp decline in FNB and the Bureau of Economic Research's consumer confidence index in the second quarter reflects the concerns.

* The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

Statistics South Africa yesterday announced the results of the Quarterly Employment Survey. This is different from the labour force survey because it focuses on employment in the formal sector. The figures show that 200,000 more people were employed than in the first quarter of 2021. Compared to the fourth quarter of last year, 42,000 more people were employed. This is positive, not a lot of job creation and when one looks at employment in different sectors, it is worrying.

* The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

Statistieke Suid-Afrika het gister die resultate van die kwartaalikse opname van indiensname (QES) bekend gemaak. Dit is anders as die arbeidsmagopname omdat dit op indiensname in die formele sektor fokus. Die syfers wys dat daar 200 000 meer mense indiensgeneem was as in die eerste kwartaal van 2021. In vergelyking met die vierde kwartaal van verlede jaar is daar 42 000 meer mense indiengeneem. Dit is positief, maar ongelukkig nie baie nuwe werke nie, en wanneer mens na indiensname in verskillende sektore kyk is dit kommerwekkend.

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

Ek sê gereeld dat stygende voedsel- en brandstofpryse en stygende rentekoerse baie huishoudings se begroting onder druk het, maar ekonome het ongelukkig nie intydse data oor hoe dit met verbruikers gaan nie. Die maatstawwe is met ʼn sloering beskikbaar en met die data wat tans beskikbaar is, lyk dit of mense darem nog kop bo water hou.

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

I often say that rising food and fuel prices and rising interest rates have put many household budgets under pressure, but unfortunately economists do not have real-time data on how consumers are doing. The indicators are available with a lag and with the data currently available, it seems that people are still keeping their heads above water.

* The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

This week, important economic indicators for May and June will be announced. These include employment figures, producer price inflation, consumer confidence, credit extension, the trade balance and vehicle sales. One can think about what we want to see, and what economists expect to happen.

* The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.