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The RMB/@BER Business Confidence Index (BCI) 💼 fell by 8 points to 39 in the 2nd quarter of 2026, reversing the gains recorded over the previous two quarters and leaving the index just below its long-term average of 40.
The drop was not unexpected given the deterioration in the global environment due to the US-Iran war.
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The @BERcoza/@Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) 📝 declined by 1.8 points to 50.8 in May 2026 from 52.6 in April.
A reading below 50 indicates a contraction, while a reading above 50 indicates an expansion.
Sub-Indices performance (m/m)
• Employment: +10.5% to 48.4 points
• Inventories: +6.7% to 55.8 pts
• Supplier Deliveries: +0.3% to 61.6 pts*
• Purchasing Prices: -0.9% to 84.8 points
• New Sales Orders: -15.7% to 44.6 pts
• Business Activity: -17.6% to 43.5 pts
New Sales Orders & Business Activity fell back into contraction after April's improvement, while Purchasing Prices indicated strong cost pressures.
*Higher Supplier Delivery readings indicate slower deliveries rather than stronger activity.
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South Africa's factory price inflation 🏭 jumped by 4.8% year on year in April vs estimates for 3.5%, via @StatsSA. On a monthly basis, PPI gained 3% in April after rising 1.1% in March.
• Coke, petro-chemicals, rubber & plastic (+11.8% & contributing 2.5%)
• Food, beverages & tobacco (+1.9% & contributing 0.6%)
• Paper & printed products (+6.4% & contributing 0.5%)
South Africa's tourist accommodation income 🛌 rose 12.1% y/y in March, via @StatsSA.
This was due to a 11.1% increase in stay unit nights sold and a 2.7% increase in the average income per stay unit night sold.
Hotel occupancy rates of 57.5% are well-above March 2019's pre-pandemic figure of 52.3%.
South Africa's retail trade sales 🛒 increased by a better-than-expected 2.6% year-on-year in March 2026. Month-on-month retail trade sales rose 0.1% in March after -1.1% in Feb and 0.9% in Jan, via @StatsSA.
Contributors
• General dealers (+1.7% & contributing 0.8%)
• All ‘other’ retailers (+7.1% & contributing 0.7%)
• Textiles, clothing, footwear (+4% & contributing 0.6%)
South Africa's consumer inflation rate 🛒 increased by 4% year-on-year in April 2026, in line with forecasts. Inflation increased by 1.1% on a month-on-month basis in April, via @StatsSA.
Contributors (y/y)
• Housing & Utilities (+5.2% & contributing 1.2%)
• Transport (+4.9% & contributing 0.7%)
• Insurance & financial services (+5.7% & contributing 0.6%.