Budget: higher taxes, rising costs, and no relief for households
A phased VAT increase and frozen tax brackets mean South Africans will pay more, while concerns grow over government spending and economic stagnation.
inflation
Debt crisis deepens: South Africans using up to 75% of income to repay debt
DebtBusters’ Q4 2024 Debt Index reveals a worsening cash flow crunch, with rising reliance on short-term loans and record-high debt service ratios.
Surrenders and competition challenge the insurance market, says Moody’s
Life insurers are expected to maintain steady profitability, but policy surrenders and competition-driven pricing pressures could impact long-term growth.
Bank of America predicts only one repo rate cut this year
Stable growth and fiscal discipline could see South Africa’s credit rating rise two notches in the next three years.
Fund managers cautiously optimistic on domestic assets
While bullish sentiment towards equities cools, local assets remain a top pick for 2025, with gold and bonds gaining favour, BofA survey finds.
The two key risks investors should watch amid the Trump noise
Old Mutual Wealth’s Izak Odendaal believes the only two risks that should concern investors are the US economy going into a recession and the Fed hiking interest rates.
Is South Africa back on track?
While challenges remain, improvements in energy supply, the rand, and infrastructure investment offer hope for future growth, provided the government continues to deliver on its promises.
Rethinking inflation: SARB’s governor on achieving lower rates without sacrificing growth
Having reached the target of 4.5% with ‘little or no cost’, Lesetja Kganyago argues that South Africa can achieve permanently lower inflation and interest rates.
Why lower CPI won’t mean lower healthcare costs for South Africans
Medical inflation outpaces CPI because of unique pressures such as the rising costs of technology, chronic diseases, and private healthcare pricing.
SARB’s first rate cut in four years sparks debate on interest rate trajectory
How low will the repo rate drop, and how fast? Economists share their insights.
What is supercore inflation, and could it influence the SARB’s rate decisions?
With the South African Reserve Bank’s 25 basis point interest rate cut announced last week, Ninety One explores the central bank’s new inflation measures – supercore and PCCI.
Discovery announces 2025 contribution increases: average hike of 9.3%
Discovery Health Medical Scheme’s contribution adjustments will be more evenly distributed across its members, highlighting the widespread effects of increasing medical inflation on contribution rates.
Why your salary feels smaller: purchasing power plummets as debt levels soar
Even as inflation eases, high interest rates continue to erode incomes, forcing many South Africans to rely on loans to get by.
Will medical schemes adhere to an inflation-linked tariff hike?
The Council for Medical Schemes has advised medical schemes to limit their contribution increases for 2025 to 4.4% plus ‘reasonable’ utilisation estimates.
How the two-pot system may impact household income and inflation
Economists assess the possible impact of the reforms on household consumption, real fixed investment, inflation, government debt, and GDP growth.
Considering annuity options if inflation surges during retirement
Coronation looks at whether a life or a living annuity is more likely to protect a retiree’s income if we enter a high-inflation environment.
Loadshedding: ‘It is going to be a tight winter’
Old Mutual Insure unpacks the impact of loadshedding on the insurance industry and the outlook for a stable electricity supply.
