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Agoa Not The ‘Game-Changer’ That Was Hoped For 16 August 2019 – The African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which was signed and implemented in 2000, has failed to deliver the trade diversification that was originally hoped for. “Trade between the US and sub-Saharan Africa is in the doldrums,” Constance Hamilton, assistant US trade representative […]

South African Agriculture, with Certain Exceptions, Faces Slow Growth in Coming Years 15 August 2019 – The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP), a nonprofit organisation, has warned that it expects the gross value of South Africa’s agricultural production this year to be similar, in real terms, to that of 2015. It stated this in

Mining Output Contracts for Eighth Consecutive Month                                                                Graphic: RUBY-GAY MARTIN But seasonally adjusted mining production rose 3.2% in the second quarter of 2019 compared

Concern Over Manufacturing Production Slowdown 12 August 2019 – Figures released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) reflecting the slowdown in the broader manufacturing sector’s production has generated strong industry concern. Speaking after the release of the data, Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) economist Marique Kruger said against the backdrop of

SA Business Confidence Dips Again After Marginal Improvement – Index 8 August 2019 – Business confidence in South Africa declined in July after improving marginally in June, according to the latest South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry Business Confidence Index released on Wednesday. In July the BCI measured 92.0, which is 1.3 index points

SA Agricultural Sector Could be Boosted by African Free-Trade Agreement 7 August 2019 – South Africa’s agricultural sector could receive a major boost when the African free-trade zone becomes operational in July 2020. According to the Agriculture Business Chamber (Agbiz), an organisation that represents commercial farmers and agribusiness, SA exports roughly 49% of its agricultural

Signs of Green Shoots in South Africa’s Economy? 6 August 2019 – South Africa’s economy has been hit by weeks of bad news – including disastrous growth of -3.2% in Q1 2019 and an unemployment rate of 29%. “There is certainly no shortage of tough issues for South Africans to deal with at present,” says

Mining and Manufacturing in Focus 5 August 2019 – Data on mining and manufacturing activity for the last month of SA’s second quarter will fall under the spotlight in the week. A mixed bag is expected, as SA’s productive sectors struggle with problems including high electricity costs and weak domestic demand. Stats SA is reporting

South Africa’s Absa PMI Expands for First Time in 7 Months 2 August 2019 – South Africa’s seasonally adjusted Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) moved into expansion for the first time in seven months in July, as improved demand saw sales and business activity improve, the survey showed on Thursday. The index, which gauges manufacturing

SA Records its Second Consecutive Trade Surplus in June 1 August 2019 – SA recorded a trade surplus of R4.42bn in June as growth in exports exceeded growth in imports. The surplus, the second in a row, was attributable to exports of R108.17bn against imports of R103.75bn, data from SARS showed on Wednesday. Economists polled by Bloomberg