Die ekonomie minuut

Business Day reported yesterday that the fund management group Ninety One says that household inflation is higher than the consumer price index indicates. It is an interesting piece of research, but they are on a dangerous side of the debate. This episode is supported by Economic Research Southern Africa and the NWU Business School.

Die Business Day het gister gerapporteer dat die fondsbestuurgroep Ninety One sê dat huishoulike inflasie hoër is as wat die verbruikersprysindeks aandui. Dit is ʼn interessante stukkie navorsing, maar hulle is aan ʼn gevaarlike kant van die debat. Hierdie episode word ondersteun deur Economic Research Southern Africa en die NWU Sakeskool.

Statistics South Africa will announce March's consumer price inflation figure tomorrow and it will be closely watched by economists. The hope is that February's 5.6% would be the highest point for the year and that the inflation rate will now slowly decrease again. However, the macro figure hides an important story. The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group's Household Af...

Statistieke Suid-Afrika maak more Maartmaand se verbruikersprys inflasiesyfer bekend en dit word fyn dopgehou deur ekonome. Die hoop is dat Februarie maand se 5,6% die hoogste punt vir die jaar sou wees en dat die inflasiekoers nou weer stadigaan sal afneem. Die makro-syfer steek egter ʼn belangrike storie weg. Die Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group se Household Affordability Index...

Keeping your finger on the pulse of the economy often means trying to interpret conflicting indicators. Here is a brief summary of recent data points. This episode is supported by the Bureau of Economic Research in Stellenbosch and the NWU Business School.

Om jou vinger op die pols van die ekonomie te hou beteken dat mens teenstellende aanwysers moet probeer interpreteer. Hier is ʼn kort opsomming van onlangse datapunte. Hierdie episode word ondersteun deur die Buro vir Ekonomiese Ondersoek in Stellenbosch en die NWU Sakeskool.

Being a company's chief executive officer is not an easy job. The money is good, but the demands are many. Nowadays, they also have to look at ESG goals, or rather, Environmental, Social and Governance goals. They must focus on "soft skills" and interpersonal skills. The question is, has the type of CEO changed over time? New research from the USA gives some clues. This episode is su...

Om ʼn maatskappy se hoof uitvoerende beampte te wees is nie maklike werk nie. Die geld is goed, maar die eise is baie. Deesdae moet hulle ook kyk na ESG doelwitte, of te wel, Environmental, Social en Governance doewitte. Hulle moet fokus op “soft skills” en interpersoonlike vaardighede. Die vraag is het die tipe CEO verander oor tyd? Nuwe navorsing uit die VSA gee ʼn paar leidrade. Hierdie episode w...

Today is the last day of the e-toll system in Gauteng. It is equally a victory and a setback. This episode is supported by the NWU Business School.

Vandag is die laaste dag van die e-tol stelsel in Gauteng. Dit is gelyk ʼn oorwinning en ʼn terugslag. Hierdie episode word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

The Budget Speech has been forgotten, and we are all much more concerned about interest rates, but South Africa's fiscal challenges are still there. We know that the government's large and growing wage bill poses a threat to the sustainability of the public finances and from 1 April civil servants' salaries rose by 4.7%. It sounds modest, but it adds fat to the fire. This episode is su...

Die Begrotingsrede is al vergete, en ons is almal baie meer bekommerd oor rentekoerse, maar Suid-Afrika se fiskale uitdagings is nog daar. Ons weet dat die regering se groot en groeiende loonrekening ʼn bedreiging inhou vir die volhoubaarheid van die staatsfinansies en vanaf 1 April het staatsamptenare se salarisse met 4,7% gestyg. Dit klink beskeie, maar dit is nog vet in die vuur. Hierdie episode...

Zimbabwe's new gold-backed currency is all over the news. Their inflation rate stands at 55% and the RTGS Zim dollar has already lost three quarters of its value this year. One sincerely hopes that the so-called ZiG or rather Zimbabwe Gold, can bring economic stability. Unfortunately, there are many reasons to be sceptical. This episode is supported by the NWU Business School.

Zimbabwe se nuwe geldeenheid wat deur goud gerugsteun word is oral in die nuus. Hulle inflasiekoers staan op 55% en die RTGS Zim dollar het al driekwart van sy waarde verloor hierdie jaar. Mens hoop van harte dat die sogenaamde ZiG of te wel Zimbabwe Goud, ekonomiese stabiliteit kan bring. Ongelukkig is daar baie redes om skepties te wees. Hierdie episode word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

Chocolate lovers need to stock up fast, because the price of chocolate is set to rise even further this year. The main ingredient of chocolate is cocoa and it looks like world production will be almost 11% lower this year. The price has already doubled since the beginning of the year. It is a classic story of supply and demand. This episode is supported by the Bureau of Economic Research in Stelle...

Sjokoladeliefhebbers moet vinnig voorraad aanvul, want die prys van sjokolade gaan vanjaar nog verder styg. Die hoofbestanddeel van sjokolade is kakao en dit lyk of wêreldproduksie vanjaar byna 11% laer gaan wees. Die prys het al verdubbel sedert die begin van die jaar. Dit is ʼn klassieke storie van vraag en aanbod. Hierdie episode word ondersteun deur die Buro vir Ekonomiese Ondersoek in Stellenb...

The Economics Minute cannot follow the news this week since I am on holiday, but I have recorded a few episodes in advance. An indicator that slipped by last week was the fourth quarter of last year's quarterly survey of employment.

Die Ekonomie Minuut kan nie hierdie week die nuus so mooi volg nie want ek is met vakansie, maar ek het ʼn paar episodes vooraf opgeneem. ʼn Aanwyser wat verlede week verby geglip het was die vierde kwartaal van verlede jaar se kwartaallikse opname van indiensname.

The Economics Minute cannot follow the news this week since I am on holiday, but I have recorded a few episodes in advance. Economists at PWC launched a new Productivity Potential Index last week. It includes the usual measures such as human capital, physical capital and innovation, but adds social capital, natural capital and institutions.

Die Ekonomie Minuut kan nie hierdie week die nuus so mooi volg nie want ek is met vakansie, maar ek het ʼn paar episodes vooraf opgeneem. Ekonome by PWC het verlede week ʼn nuwe Produktiwiteit Potensiaal Indeks bekend gestel. Dit sluit die gewone maatstawwe soos menslike kapitaal, fisiese kapitaal en innovasie in, maar voeg sosiale kapitaal, natuurlike kapitaal en instellings by.

I am on holiday, but the NWU Business School's Policy Uncertainty Index is published today and uncertainty increased slightly in the first quarter. It has a lot to do with the election.

Ek is met vakansie, maar die NWU Sakeskool se Beleidsonsekerheidindeks word vandag bekend gemaak en onsekerheid het effens toegeneem in die eerste kwartaal. Dit het baie te make met die verkiesing.

I am on holiday, but have prerecorded an episode on BFAPs disagreement with StatsSA over last year's agri data.

Ek is met vakansie maar het vooraf 'n episode opgeneem oor BFAP se kritiek oor StatsSA se landbousektor data.

The Monetary Policy Committee announced yesterday that the repo rate remains unchanged. They cited a number of reasons why there is still upward pressure on prices, from the volatile exchange rate to the impact of El Nino on food prices. They are not yet convinced that the inflation rate is trending downward. This episode is supported by the NWU Business School.