Die ekonomie minuut

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.

In the financial markets, there is concern about the possibility of a recession in the US. Oil and food prices are high, and supply chain disruptions in China remain a problem. In the US, consumer price inflation is now at 8.5% and it will be necessary to keep raising interest rates. The danger is that the Federal Reserve may increase it too quickly or too sharply and that it will plunge the econo...

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 e...

We know that food prices are soaring and now chicken is in the news. This week the Association for meat importers and exporters called for a three-year suspension of import tariffs on imported chicken. They argue that the tariffs raise the price of imported chicken so consumers are paying high prices while domestic producers make good profits. The Poultry Association rejected this saying that the...

Ons weet dat kospryse die hoogte inskiet en nou is hoender in die nuus. Die Vereniging vir vleis-invoerders en -uitvoerders het vandeesweek gevra vir 'n drie jaar opskorting van tariewe op ingevoerde hoender. Hulle voer aan dat die tariewe die prys van ingevoerde hoender verhoog sodat verbruikers hoë pryse betaal terwyl plaaslike produsente goeie winste maak. Die Pluimveevereniging het hierdie uit...

We recently heard how poor railway infrastructure is limiting coal exports, and how problems at Cape Town's harbour are hampering fruit exports, and then there is the negative impact that load shedding has on the economy. Recently, the road network has also been in the spotlight. Years of poor maintenance, high volumes of heavy truck traffic, and a very good summer rainy season have led to the det...

Ons het onlangs gehoor hoe gebrekkige spoorweg-infrastruktuur steenkool-uitvoer aanbande lê, en hoe probleme by Kaapstad se hawe vrugte-uitvoer bemoeilik, en dan is daar natuurlik die negatiewe impak wat beurtkrag op die ekonomie het. Die afgelope was die padnetwerk ook in die kollig. Jare se gebrekkige instandhouding, hoë volumes van swaarvragmotorverkeer, en ʼn baie goeie somerreenseisoen het gel...

Last week was a quiet week for indicator watchers. We did see S&P Global’s South African PMI number for March and it increased to 51.4, up from 50.9 in February. This was driven by improvements in local demand. There were firms that reported experiencing supply constraints due to Covid-induced lockdowns in China. Firms increased purchases of inputs even as their costs increase. * The Economics...

Verlede week was 'n stil week vir mense wat aanwysers dophou. S&P Global het hulle aankopebestuurdersindeks vir Suid-Afrika vir Maartmaand bekend gemaak. Dit het tot 51,4 gestyg, vanaf 50,9 in Februarie. Dit is aangedryf deur verbeterings in plaaslike vraag. Daar was maatskappye wat aangedui het dat hulle aanbodbeperkings ervaar as gevolg van Covid-inperkings in China. Maatskappye het die aank...

We regularly hear reports of food prices rising. Sometimes it sounds as if the farmers are making a lot of money now, or that retailers are exploiting us, and the commentators conveniently forget that the price of the food on the shelf also depends on the international prices of food commodities. Last week, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) published its food price index and it gives...

Ons hoor gereeld berigte oor hoe voedselpryse styg. Partykeer klink dit asof die boere nou baie geld maak, of dat kleinhanelaars ons uitbuit en die kommentators vergeet gerieflikheidshalwe dat die prys van die kos op die rak ook afhang van die internasionale pryse van voedselkommoditeite. Verlede week het die VN se Voedsel en landbou-organisasie (die FAO) hulle voedselprysindeks gepubliseer en dit...

The Bureau of Economic Research yesterday released a report evaluating South Africa's progress towards achieving development goals for 2021. This is a very interesting overview of what is going on in the country. * The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

Die Buro vir Ekonomiese Ondersoek het gister ʼn verslag bekend gemaak wat Suid-Afrika se vordering om ontwikkelingsdoelwitte te bereik, evalueer vir 2021. Dit is ʼn baie interessante oorsig oor wat aangaan in die land. * Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

The concern that technological development is going to cost people their jobs is probably as old as technological development itself, but it feels like it is faster and more visible today than ever. From rental robots to chatbots, they are having an impact on production and on workers. * The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

Die bekommernis dat tegnologiese ontwikkeling mense hulle werke gaan kos is seker so oud soos tegnologiese ontwikkeling, maar dit voel of dit vandag vinniger en meer sigbaar is as ooit. Van robotte te huur tot chatbots het 'n invloed op produksie en op werkers. * Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

Policy uncertainty is when there is uncertainty about government policy or its consequences. Unfortunately, there are many examples of this in South Africa: the President says the private sector creates jobs, a week later he tries to explain that he did not mean privatization, Eskom talks at COP27 about a transition to green energy, the Minister of Minerals and Energy likes gas, and so it goes on....

Beleidsonsekerheid is wanneer daar onsekerheid is oor regeringsbeleid of die gevolge daarvan. Ongelukkig is daar Suid-Afrika baie voorbeelde daarvan: die President sê die privaatsektor skep werk, ʼn week later probeer hy verduidelik dat hy het nie privatisering bedoel nie, Eskom praat by COP27 oor ʼn oorgang na groen-energie, die Minister van Minerale en Energie hou van gas, en so gaan dit aan. Navo...

Analysts keep a close eye on many things. One of the more unusual indicators that popped up last week was a reversal of the yield curve of US treasury bills. * The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

Ontleders hou baie dinge fyn dop. Een van die meer ongewone aanwysers wat verlede week kop uitgesteek het was ʼn omkeer van die opbrengskromme (of yield curve) van Amerikaanse tesouriewissels. * Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

Last week ended with a few pieces of good news, and this is a nice way to start a Monday: ABSA's Purchasing Managers' Index is up, new car sales were something to celebrate, and Moody's adjusted their outlook for South Africa's credit rating from negative to stable. * The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

Verlede week het afgesluit met ʼn paar stukkies goeie nuus, en dit is ʼn lekker manier om ʼn Maandag te begin: ABSA se aankopebestuurdersindeks is op, nuwe motorverkope was iets om te vier, en Moody’s het hulle vooruitsig vir Suid-Afrika se kredietgradering aangepas van negatief na stabiel. * Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

This week was filled with indicators. The important one was the unemployment rate, but there was also private sector credit extension and the trade balance figures. ABSA's Purchasing Managers' Index and Naamsa's new vehicle sales figures for March will be announced later today. * The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

Hierdie week was vol aanwysers. Die belangrike een was die werkloosheidskoers, maar daar was ook private kredietverlening en die handelsbalan syferss. Later vandag word ABSA se aankopebestuurders-indeks en Naamsa se nuwe voertuigverkopesyfers vir Maart bekend gemaak. * Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

It seems that it is easy to talk about an inflation rate of 5.7%, or an extended unemployment rate of 46.2%. The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Project's household affordability index puts these macro figures into perspective. The index measures the cost of a basket of basic food products that households buy first to survive. * The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business S...

Dit voel of vir my dat ons maklik praat oor ʼn inflasiekoers van 5,7%, of ʼn uitgebreide werkloosheidskoers van 46,2%. Die Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Projek se huishoudelike bekostigbaarheidsindeks plaas hierdie makro syfers in perspektief. Die indeks meet die koste van ‘n mandjie van basiese voedselprodukte wat huishoudings eerste koop om te oorleef. * Die Ekonomie Minuut word on...