SA’s new GNU Cabinet and what latest SA & US inflation data means for interest rates

Loading player...
In SA’s new Government of National Unity (GNU) Cabinet, the number of ministers and deputy ministers has grown, which is costly, and there are a lot of new faces in Cabinet whose competence cannot be judged yet. However, there are positive aspects: there is continuity in the key economic cluster, implying that fiscal policy is likely to stay the same, and reform of SOEs is expected to continue under the Presidency.
SA’s PPI inflation rate for May at 4.6% was below market expectations, and the details were encouraging, other than for manufactured food inflation. Trends should lead to interest rate cuts starting in September. In the US, core PCE was also in line with expectations at 2.6%, close to the US Federal Reserve’s 2% target, and a September interest rate cut remains on the horizon.
Click here to listen to the podcast.
1 Jul 2024 English South Africa Investing · Business News

Other recent episodes

US jobs data shows an economy under pressure

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, explores a wide range of data on the US labour market. The statistics show that, as a result of President Trump’s tariff policies, jobs are being lost and the economy is under pressure. In response, the US Federal Reserve is expected to…
8 Sep 8 min

Positive SA government revenue and expenditure data

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, talks about revenue and expenditure data for July, with revenue holding up well and expenditure slightly behind budget. He also discusses concerns that the US’s 30% tariff could hurt SA’s export performance. Click here to listen to the podcast. STANLIB Asset Management…
1 Sep 11 min

Corporate Conversations: The power of money market instruments

South Africa’s money market industry is well-developed and globally competitive, with active trading in instruments like floating rate notes linked to local benchmarks such as JIBAR. Although floating rate notes are common in markets such as the US and UK, South Africa’s market exhibits distinct structural features and investor preferences…
27 Aug 9 min

US signals change in emphasis on interest rate policy

In this podcast, STANLIB Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, talks about Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s recent address at the Jackson Hole Symposium, where he indicates a notable shift in the Fed’s policy emphasis from managing inflation risks to addressing emerging weaknesses in the US labour market. This could signal the…
25 Aug 13 min