Die ekonomie minuut

This past week there were inflation indicators for South Africa and GDP growth figures for the US, but what does that say about our interest rate outlook? This episode is supported by the Bureau of Economic Research in Stellenbosch and the NWU Business School.

One of President Ramaphosa's proposals to offer poor South Africans relief from the high cost of living is to exempt more products from VAT. Economists quickly said that more zero rates are not a good idea, because they distort relative prices, and the Treasury has said they cannot afford the foregone tax revenue. I went to look at the report that a panel of experts prepared for the Minister o...

Een van President Ramaphosa se voorstelle om vir arm Suid-Afrikaners verligting te bied van hoë lewenskoste is om meer produkte vry te stel van BTW. Ekonome sê vinnig dat meer nulkoerse nie ʼn goeie idee is nie, omdat dit relatiewe pryse versteur, en Tesourie het gesê hulle kan nie die verlore belasting inkomste kan bekostig nie. Ek het na die verslag gaan kyk wat ʼn paneel van kundiges in 2018 vir...

Statistics South Africa released June's consumer price index data yesterday and the inflation rate slowed to 5.1%. This episode is supported by the NWU Business School.

Statistieke Suid-Afrika het gister Juniemaand se verbruikersprysindeksdata bekend gemaak en die inflasiekoers het verlangsaam tot 5,1%. Hierdie episode word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

One of the proposals that President Ramaphosa made on behalf of the Government of National Unity is that they want to investigate an income grant for unemployed people. Despite many studies on this, economists do not agree on what such an allowance achieves. We mostly agree that it is better to give cash without conditions, but the impact of such a grant on outcomes such as job-seeking activity, s...

Een van die voorstelle wat President Ramaphosa gemaak het namens die Regering van Nasionale Eenheid is dat hulle wil ondersoek instel na ʼn inkomste-toelaag vir werklose mense. Ten spyte van baie studies hieroor is ekonome nie eens oor wat so toelaag bereik nie. Ons stem meestal saam dat dit beter is om kontant te gee sonder voorwaardes, maar die impak van so toelaag op uitkomste soos werk-soek-akt...

I am quickly talking about the good, bad and ugly of President Ramaphosa's speech in Parliament last Thursday and today is about the bad and ugly aspects. My criterion is whether a plan is something that must be done by the state, versus whether the private sector can do it and also whether a plan is contrary to some of the good goals. This episode is supported by the NWU Business School.

Ek praat vinnig oor die good, bad en ugly van President Ramaphosa se toespraak in die Parlement die afgelope Donderdag en vandag gaan oor die bad en ugly aspekte. My maatstaf vir ʼn slegte plan is of dit voorstel dat die staat iets doen wat die privaatsektor eerder kan doen, en ook of ʼn plan strydig is met van die goeie doelwitte wat hy gestel het. Hierdie episode word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakes...

President Ramaphosa opened Parliament on Thursday evening on behalf of the Government of National Unity. Investors, credit rating agencies and even ordinary South Africans have scrutinized the speech looking for clues that we are now on a winning path. As with everything there is good, bad and ugly and today I want to talk about the good aspects. This episode is supported by the Bureau of Economic...

President Ramaphosa het Donderdagaand die Parlement geopen namens die Regering van Nasionale Eenheid. Beleggers,kredietgraderingsagentskappe en selfs gewone Suid-Afrikaners het die rede gefynkam opsoek na leidrade dat ons nou op ʼn wenpad is. Soos met alles is daar ʼn good, bad en ugly en vandag wil ek oor die goeie aspekte praat Hierdie episode word ondersteun deur die Buro vir Ekonomiese Ondersoek...

The Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee left the repo rate unchanged yesterday, but before you think this is not news, it is worth taking a closer look at the MPC statement. This episode is supported by the NWU Business School.

Die Reserwebank se Monetêre Beleidskomitee het gister die repokoers onveranderd gelaat, maar voor jy dink dit is nie nuus nie, is dit die moeite werd om die verklaring van naderby te beskou. Hierdie episode word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

This afternoon the Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee will announce their repo rate decision. Economists expect that they will again leave the rate unchanged. But what if they surprise us with a small cut? This episode is supported by the NWU Business School.

Vanmiddag maak die Reserwebank se Monetêre Beleidskomitee hulle repokoersbesluit bekend. Ekonome verwag dat hulle die koers die keer nog onveranderd gaan laat. Maar sê nou hulle verras ons met ʼn klein verlaging? Hierdie episode word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

While we wait for tomorrow's repo rate decision there are quite a few other interesting indicators and economic news to share. This episode is supported by Economic Research Southern Africa and the NWU Business School.

Terwyl ons wag vir more se repokoersbesluit is daar heelwat ander interessante aanwysers en ekonomiese nuus om te deel. Hierdie episode word ondersteun deur Economic Research Southern Africa en die NWU Sakeskool.

The Covid-19 pandemic was a blow to the tourism industry, but now that the lockdowns are a thing of the past, there is a global boom in tourism. On the one hand, it is an injection that can help drive economic growth and create jobs. On the other hand, it has costs. Is there a good way to manage tourism? This episode is supported by the NWU Business School.

Die Covid-19 pandemie was ʼn slag vir die toerismebedryf, maar nou dat dit inperkings iets van die verlede is, is daar ʼn wêreldwye oplewing van toerisme. Aan die een kant is dit ʼn inspuiting wat kan dit help om ekonomiese groei te dryf en werk te skep. Aan die ander kant het dit kostes. Is daar ʼn goeie manier om toerisme te bestuur? Hierdie episode word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

This week's big economic news is the Monetary Policy Committee's repo rate decision on Thursday. But there's plenty of time to talk about why they're probably going to leave the repo unchanged, so I'd rather talk about new concerns about artificial intelligence. This episode is supported by the Bureau of Economic Research in Stellenbosch and the NWU Business School.

Hierdie week se groot ekonomiese nuus is die Monetêre Beleidskomitee se repokoersbesluit Donderdag. Maar daar is genoeg tyd om te praat oor hoekom hulle die repo waarskynlik onveranderd gaan laat, so ek wil eerder gesels oor nuwe bekommernis oor kunsmatige intelligensie. Ek sê maar AI, want KI klink nog  nie vir my reg nie. Hierdie episode word ondersteun deur die Buro vir Ekonomiese Ondersoek in...

Yesterday, Statistics South Africa released May's production data for the mining and manufacturing sectors, but it was disappointing. Year-on-year production rose by 0.6% and month-on-month production was lower in May than in April. This episode is supported by the NWU Business School.

Statistieke Suid-Afrika het gister Mei maand se produksie data in die mynbou en vervaardigingsektore bekend gemaak, maar dit was teleurstellend. Jaar-op-jaar het produksie met 0,6% gestyg en maand tot maand was produksie laer in Mei as in April. Hierdie episode word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

Consumers are sensitive to price increases and quickly notice if their shopping basket costs more, but they don't notice a difference in weight or volume as quickly. When the inflation rate is high, companies would rather offer less in smaller packaging than raise prices. I've talked before about dog biscuits but only saw this week that my favourite brand of peanuts and raisins is now in 4...

Verbruikers is sensitief vir prysverhogings en kom gou agter as hulle mandjie inkopies meer kos, maar hulle sien nie so vinnig ‘n verskil in gewig of volume raak nie. Wanneer die inflasiekoers hoog is, sal maatskappye eerder minder aanbied in kleiner verpakking as om pryse te verhoog. Ek het vroeër al gepraat oor hondekoekies, maar het die week eers gesien my gunsteling maak van grondboontjies en...