Tag: South African Rand
Currency fluctuations – how “political” is the South African Rand?
The fluctuations of the South African currency (the rand) in the period leading up to the recent national and provincial elections, and during the negotiations by political parties to form a Government of National Unity (GNU), have resulted in many wild and drunken speculations - especially on social media.
Commodity prices in the emerging market landscape
South Africa, though not the largest economy among emerging markets, enjoys a prominent position among its peers, and the highly liquid nature of the South African rand has encouraged global investors to use it as a proxy for global growth, commodities, and emerging markets.
SA GDP growth rate in US trade wars crossfire?
The first quarter GDP growth of 2019 for South Africa announced 4 June, and it is once again a negative number. The numbers are showing that the South African economy contracted 3.2% year on year, following a 1.4% growth in the previous period. It was the sharpest decline in the GDP since the first quarter of 2009, as output declined sharply in manufacturing, mining, agriculture and utilities.
