Die ekonomie minuut

There has been a lot of speculation over the past week about the impact that the floods in KwaZulu-Natal will have on the economy. One actually needs to be more specific about the impact on which aspect of the economy? There are some estimates of direct damages, but second-round effects will now also start to have an impact.

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

Ek mag nie finansiële advies nie, so vat maar vandag se Minuut met ʼn knippie sout. Ek het tog onlangs iets interessant gelees wat ek graag wil deel. Dit gaan oor versamelaarsitems as beleggings.

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

I cannot give financial advice, so take today's Minute with a pinch of salt. But, saying that, I recently read something interesting that I would like to share. It's about collector’s items as investments.

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

Statistieke Suid-Afrika het gister Maartmaand se verbruikersprysindekssyfer bekend gemaak en inflasie het toegneem vanaf 5,7% in Februarie tot 5,9% in Maart. Vervoer was die kategorie wat grootliks bygedra het tot die styging. Onthou, brandstofpryse het met 7,2% gestyg tussen Februarie en Maart. Daar was ook stygings in die koste van lugvervoer, busvervoer en tolgelde. Voedselpryse is die ander belangrike kategorie waar pryse toegeneem het, maar die styging was teen ʼn effens stadiger koers as die afgelope maande. Die pryse van vrugte en groente was effens laer in Maartmaand. Die inflasiekoers is nou aan die bokant van die Reserwebank se teikenband en ekonome verwag verdere repo-koersstygings.

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

Statistics South Africa yesterday announced March's consumer price index and inflation increased from 5.7% in February to 5.9% in March. Transportation was the category that contributed the most to the increase. Remember, fuel prices rose by 7.2% between February and March. There were also increases in the cost of air transport, bus transport and tolls. Food prices are the other important category where prices increased, but the increase has been at a slightly slower rate than in recent months. Fruit and vegetable prices were slightly lower in March. The inflation rate is now at the top of the Reserve Bank's target band and economists expect further repo rate hikes.

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

Beurtkrag byt weer hierdie week en Eskom voorspel dat daar hierdie winter tot 101 dae se beurtkrag kan wees. Is daar ʼn oplossing vir hierdie probleem wat die ekonomie aan bande lê? Eskom staar twee groot uitdagings in die gesig.

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

Load shedding is biting again this week and Eskom predicts that there could be up to 101 days of load shedding this winter. Is there a solution to this problem that is holding back the economy? Eskom faces two major challenges.

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

Ek het al in ʼn paar episodes gepraat oor die impak wat Rusland se inval in Oekraine op die ekonomie het. Interessante nuwe navorsing wys dat dit ook ʼn rol speel om onsekerheid te verhoog.

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

I've talked in a few episodes about the impact that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has on the economy. Interesting new research shows that it also plays a role in increasing uncertainty.

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

In die finansiële markte is daar bekommernis oor die moontlikheid van ‘n resessie in die VSA. Olie- en voedselpryse is hoog, en ontwrigtings van voorsieningskettings uit Sjina bly ʼn probleem. In die VSA staan verbruikersprysinflasie nou op 8,5% en dit gaan nodig wees om rentekoerse verder te verhoog. Die gevaar is dat die Federale Reserwebank dit dalk te vinnig of te skerp verhoog en dat dit die ekonomie in resessie dompel. ʼn Aanwyser van hierdie bekommernis is die verskil tussen die rentekoerse op 2-jaar en 10-jaar Tesouriewissels. Onlangs het die opbrengskromme omgekeer. Twee-jaar koerse was hoër as tien-jaar koerse, en oor die laaste sestig jaar was dit ʼn teken van resessie. Hoe bekommerd moet ons wees?

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.