Die ekonomie minuut

South Africa's unemployment rate reached a new high of 34.4%. The number of people employed in the formal non-agricultural sector decreased by 375 000 in the second quarter of 2021.

Suid-Afrika se werkloosheidskoers het ʼn nuwe hoogtepunt bereik van 34,4%. In die tweede kwartaal het die aantal mense wat in die formele nie-landbou sektor indiensgeneem is met 375 000 afgeneem. Lees ook my blog post oor werkloosheid .

This week there are two important pieces of economic news to keep an eye on. One is the unemployment rate in the second quarter according to the Labor Force Survey, the other is the 5-yearly review of the Gross Domestic Product.

Hierdie week is daar twee belangrike stukkies ekonomiese nuus om ʼn oog op te hou. Een is die werkloosheidskoers in die tweede kwartaal volgens die arbeidsmagopname, die ander is die 5-jaarlikse hersiening van die Bruto Binnelandse Produk.

Krimpflasie is nie ʼn woord wat jy in ʼn Ekonomie handboek sal kry nie. Dit beteken ook nie dat pryse daal nie, dit is deflasie. Krimpflasie is wanneer die prys dieselfde bly, of selfs styg, maar die gewig of volume van die produk krimp. Lees die NPR storie . Kyk by Mouseprint.org .

Shrinkflation is not a word you will find in an Economics textbook. Nor does it mean that prices are falling, that is deflation. Shrinkflation is when the price stays the same, or even increases, but the weight or volume of the product shrinks. Read the NPR story . Check out Mouseprint.org

Any episode about the rand gets old or wrong very quickly, but the exchange rate is always interesting. Yesterday, the rand and JSE weakened due to the conservative tone of the Fed's communication and stronger dollar, and slower than expected growth in China.

Enige episode oor die rand word baie vinnig oud of verkeerd, maar die wisselkoers is altyd interessant. Gister het die rand en JSE verswak as gevolg van die konseratiewe toon van die Fed se kommunikasie en sterker dollar, en stadiger as verwagte groei in Sjina.

In South Africa we were worried when the inflation rate reached 5.2% in May. But after that, prices increased more slowly. The rate was 4.9% in June and yesterday we heard it was 4.6% in July. This sounds like good news (and it is), unless you want two opposing things.

In Suid-Afrika was ons bekommerd toe die inflasiekoers in Mei maand 5,2% was. Maar daarna het pryse stadiger toegeneem. Die koers was 4,9% in Junie en gister het ons gehoor dit was 4,6% in Julie. Dit klink soos goeie nuus (en dit is), behalwe as jy twee teenstellende dinge wil hê.

Moneyweb has an interesting story this week about South Africa's first successful saffron season. The red gold is here!

Moneyweb het hierdie week 'n interessante storie oor Suid-Afrika se eerste suksesvolle safraan seisoen. Die rooi goud is hier! Lees die hele storie hier

This week, July's CPI inflation figure and June's retail sales figures will be released.

Hierdie week word Julie-maand se VPI inflasiesyfer en Junie-maand se kleinhandel verkopesyfers bekend gemaak.

One of the interesting issues of the Covid-19 pandemic is how the world of work has changed. According to yesterday's Rapport, a survey found that only 4% of South African workers are willing to return to the office full time. Only 5% of employers are willing to let their staff work full time from home. My view is that these extremes are a false dichotomy.

Een van die interessante vraagstukke van die Covid-19 pandemie is hoe die wêreld van werk verander het. Volgens gister se Rapport het ʼn opname bevind dat slegs 4% van Suid-Afrikaanse werkers bereid is om voltyds terug te keer kantoor toe. Slegs 5% van werkgewers is bereid om hulle personeel voltyds van die huis af te laat werk. My siening is dat hierdie uiterstes spreek van ʼn valse tweeledigheid

Over the past week, much has been written in the media about the new Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana. His supporters point out that he has helped the ANC move away from populist policies, that investors know him, and that he knows how to steer the debate to find common ground. I think we need to measure the Minister's performance by two outcomes.

Die afgelope week is daar baie in die media geskryf oor die nuwe Minister van Finansies, Enoch Godongwana. Sy ondersteuners wys daarop dat hy die ANC gehelp het om weg te beweeg het van populistiese beleide, dat beleggers hom ken, en dat hy weet hoe om die debat te stuur om ʼn gemeenskaplike oplossings te vind. Ek dink dat ons die Minister se prestasie aan twee maatstawwe moet meet.

Production in the manufacturing sector is an important indicator of the recovery of the economy and at the moment it shows that recovery is still fragile.

Produksie in die vervaardigingsektor is ʼn belangrike aanwyser van die herstel van die ekonomie en op die oomblik wys dit dat daardie herstel nog broos is.

Planet Money has an interesting story this week about elite fund managers.

Planet Money het hierdie week ʼn interessante storie oor elite fondbestuurders.

The Minister of Sport, Nathi Mthethwa, said yesterday that South Africa's Olympic team does not reflect the country's demographics. He called on athletics federations to accelerate transformation. What he does not appreciate, is that the problem is economic.

Die Minister van Sport, Nathi Mthethwa, het gister gesê dat Suid-Afrika se Olimpiese span weerspieël nie die land se demografie nie. Hy het ʼn beroep gedoen op atletiekfederasies om transformasie te versnel. Wat hy nie besef nie, is die probleem is ekonomies.

What would you do if you hear that you're getting a fat bonus cheque this year? New car, or a nice holiday?