... South Africa's central bank says it is keeping its options open on interest rates as geopolitical tensions and rising oil prices create fresh risks for inflation and economic growth. South Africa's central bank said it is keeping its options open on interest rates as Middle East tensions and higher oil prices create new inflation risks. Governor Lesetja Kganyago warned that ...

... and inflation expectations remained above target. Kganyago said while inflation was still not anchored at the central bank's 3% target, it had continued to trend lower while debt appeared to be stabilising and growth had been a bit stronger. South Africa's headline inflation nudged higher to 3.1% in April from 3.0% in March, as the effects of the U.S.-Israeli war ...

... governor Lesetja Kganyago reiterated yesterday that the inflation outlook has turned more dire, denting the chances of interest rate cuts any time soon. Kganyago's warning underscores the severity of the economic challenges facing South Africa. During a public lecture at Rhodes University yesterday, Kganyago said South Africa's inflation headache could have been worse without the bank's prudent policy stance, including ...

... before receding back within the target range. "Although there are now clearly upside risks to the inflation outlook in South Africa, the lower inflation target and ongoing fiscal consolidation have created resilience by reducing the country's risk premium," Parsons said. Inflationary expectations were also previously at the lowest level in years. Parsons noted South Africa has a few more economic ...

... South Africa may be heading for another interest rate increase as rising oil prices and renewed inflation risks put pressure on the economy, according to Bank of America. Bank of America expects South Africa's central bank to raise interest rates in May. Higher oil prices and fuel costs could push inflation above the Reserve Bank's preferred target. Food and transport ...

... South Africa recorded a slight increase in annual consumer inflation to 3.1 per cent in March, up from 3.0 per cent in February 2026, according to Statistics South Africa on Wednesday, April 22. The uptick was driven mainly by higher costs in housing and utilities, food and non-alcoholic beverages, and financial services, with prices rising 0.6 per cent month-on-month. Six ...

... South Africa is heading into a period of renewed inflationary pressure that is likely to trigger tighter monetary policy, with Bank of America (BofA) warning that rising prices and elevated interest rates will define the economic landscape through 2026. In its latest "South Africa Watch" report on Thursday, BofA outlines a deteriorating consumer price inflation (CPI) outlook driven largely by ...

... South Africa's inflation rate edged slightly higher in March but remains relatively subdued overall. Annual consumer inflation rose to 3.1 % up from 3.0% in February, according to Statistics South Africa. On a monthly basis, prices increased by 0.6%. The main drivers behind the rise were housing and utilities along with food, and financial services. Six of the thirteen major ...

... April's CPI inflation data. "Inflation is calculated from around the first week of each month, back three weeks into the previous month, and so March avoided the war's effect, with a lag in the impact too on oil feedstocks." Frank Blackmore, Lead Economist at KPMG South Africa, said the main contributors to the higher inflation in February were housing and ...

... inboxes. While overall inflation remains relatively contained, the cost of education is telling a very different story, especially for families paying private school fees. Inflation Remains Calm But Education Costs Spike According to the latest data from Statistics South Africa, consumer inflation edged up slightly to 3.1% in the 12 months to March 2026. On paper, that suggests a fairly ...

... has been one battle after another, to steal the title of this year's big Oscar winner. The record increase in petrol and diesel prices has clouded growth and inflation while the political direction is also unsure following the Constitutional Court hearing on the "Phala Phala" matter. South Africa has also featured in the hantavirus story, but largely positively given the ...

... 12 years at National Treasury of South Africa, where he worked extensively on fiscal forecasting and the evaluation of major government policies, including taxation and national energy programmes. The appointment comes at a crucial time for South Africa's economy as policymakers continue to balance inflation concerns with the need to support economic growth. At its last meeting in March, the ...

... year in January, when it again decided - four to two - to keep rates on hold. The two dissenters had pushed for a 25 basis point cut. Last week, Bank governor Lesetja Kganyago said the inflation outlook for South Africa would have been worse now if not for the Bank's prudent policy stance, including the adoption last year of ...

... old trade-war framework implied bargaining. This one implies adaptation. For South Africa, this summit is not a distant geopolitical spectacle. It is a macro transmission mechanism. South Africa is a price taker in this drama. When Washington and Beijing test each other's tolerance for pain, emerging markets absorb the bruising through oil, currencies, inflation expectations and bond yields. That is ...

... Global geopolitical tensions, higher energy prices and climate risks are increasingly shaping South Africa's agricultural outlook after several strong years for the sector Rising fuel and fertiliser costs are emerging as the main pressure points, squeezing farm margins and increasing uncertainty for producers and agribusinesses South Africa remains vulnerable mainly through higher prices rather than supply shortages, with inflation and ...

... Tuition fees have increased more sharply in 2026 compared to 2025, with South Africans paying private secondary school tuition taking the biggest pain. This comes as private education in South Africa is gaining ground, as citizens increasingly look for alternatives to government-provided education. Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) recently did a deep dive on education inflation in South Africa, explaining ...

... can disrupt South Africa's near-term economic growth." It also gave the thumbs-up to the lower inflation target of 3% adopted by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) last year as supportive of a primary budget surplus and lower interest bill. The conflict in the Middle East, however, poses a near-term risk to growth and inflation outlooks, given that South Africa ...

... while nearly three-quarters report that financial pressure is impacting their work and their health. Although levels of stress have eased slightly since 2023, a year marked by elevated inflation and higher borrowing costs, the numbers remain high enough to signal something deeper than a temporary economic cycle. Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) reported that average consumer inflation for 2023 stood ...

... South Africa's central bank says it is keeping its options open on interest rates as geopolitical tensions and rising oil prices create fresh risks for inflation and economic growth. South Africa's central bank said it is keeping its options open on interest rates as Middle East tensions and higher oil prices create new inflation risks. Governor Lesetja Kganyago warned that ...

... and continue reforms ahead of the 2029 general election. Moody's said its baseline expectation is that the coalition between the African National Congress and the Democratic Alliance will remain intact through the current administration, limiting the risk of a major policy reversal during the 2027-2029 electoral cycle. The agency also said South Africa's move toward a lower inflation target of ...