Die ekonomie minuut

Hierdie week word belangrike ekonomiese aanwysers vir Meimaand en Junie-maand bekend gemaak. Dit sluit in: Indiensname syfers, produksieprysinflasie, verbruikersvertroue, kredietverlening, die handelsbalans en motorverkope. Mens kan dink oor wat ons graag wil sien, en dit wat ekonome verwag om te gebeur.

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

The word inflation is now used as widely in the media as Covid, or Ukraine. In the UK, more people do Google searches on inflation than on Taylor Swift. This week, South Africa's inflation rate surprised us all at 6.5%. Economists at Oxford Economics, FNB and Nedbank now expect the inflation rate to go above 7% in June. Others predict that the repo rate could rise to 7.5% within a year. I have explained many times how the Reserve Bank uses the repo rate to fight inflation, but are there other ways to reduce inflation?

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

Die woord inflasie word nou so algemeen in die media gebruik soos Covid, of Oekraine. In die Verenigde Koninkryk doen meer mense Google soektogte oor inflasie as oor Taylor Swift. Hierdie week het Suid-Afrika se inflasiesyfer ons almal verbaas op 6,5%. Ekonome by Oxford Economics, FNB en Nedbank verwag dat die inflasiekoers bo 7% kan draai in Juniemaand. Ander voorspel dat die repokoers op 7,5% kan staan binne ʼn jaar. Ek het al baie verduidelik hoe die Reserwebank die repokoers gebruik om inflasie te beveg, maar is daar ander maniere om inflasie te verminder?

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

Ons almal het geweet dat pryse gestyg het in Meimaand. Die brandstofprys het gestyg en voedselpryse was hoër en jy het dit eintlik al aan jou sak gevoel. Gister se Verbruikersprys-inflasiesyfer wys dat die koste van die gemiddelde verbruiker se mandjie goedere en dienste oor die afgelope jaar met 6,5% gestyg het. Die maandelikse styging van April tot Meimaand was 0,7%. Vir ekonome is die vraag wat die stygende inflasie beteken vir volgende maand se repokoersbesluit.

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

We all knew that prices rose in May. The price of fuel went up and food prices were higher and you have actually been feeling it in your pocket. Yesterday's Consumer Price Inflation figure shows that the cost of the average consumer's basket of goods and services has risen by 6.5% over the past year. The monthly increase from April to May was 0.7%. For economists, the question is what the rising inflation means for next month's repo rate decision.

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

Hierdie week se belangrike ekonomiese nuus is Mei-maand se verbruikersprysinflasiesyfer wat Woensdag bekend gemaak word. Inflasie het in Maart en April op 5,9% gestaan en ontleders verwag dat in Mei die 6%-merk gebreek het. Die syfer self is dalk nie so belangrik nie, want jy voel dit reeds aan jou sak, maar dit het belangrike implikasies vir hoe groot volgende maand se repokoers-verhoging gaan wees. Maar wat staan my en jou te doen?

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

This week's key economic news is May's consumer price inflation number released on Wednesday. Inflation stood at 5.9% in March and April and analysts expect that it will break the 6% mark in May. The figure itself may not be that important because you already feel it in your pocket, but it has important implications for how big next month's repo rate hike is going to be. So what can you and I do?

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

I often talk about how events in the US affect the South African economy, but we must not underestimate the importance of China, and there are now things happening that will have an impact all the way to South Africa.

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

Ek praat gereeld oor hoe gebeure in die VSA die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie raak, maar ons moet nie die belangrikheid van Sjina onderskat nie, en daar is nou dinge wat tot in Suid-Afrika ʼn invloed gaan hê.

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

Over the last few days the economic news has been dominated by the story of inflation in the US and the 75 basis point increase in their interest rate. Interestingly, their so-called “benchmark” rate stands at 1.5-1.75%, much lower than our 4.75% repo rate. In the weekend's newspapers, economists explained how the increase could affect South Africa. Most believe that the Reserve Bank has room for manoeuvre and does not have to act as aggressively against inflation as the US Fed. To test whether this argument is sound, one can compare the causes of inflation in the US and South Africa.

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