Sharp decreases in the prices of manufactured petroleum products drove producer inflation down, from 6,5% year-on-year in November to 5,8% in December. However, there were noticeable increases in year-on-year prices for meat, tobacco and dairy products. Stats SA’s latest Producer Price Index publication, released on Thursday, 29 January 2015, shows that prices for final manufactured   read more »

Annual CPI inflation dropped to 5,3% in December 2014 from 5,8% in November 2014. Petrol and food prices, which are key drivers of changes in the CPI, both showed lower annual inflation rates. Food inflation continued its slowing trend with a 7,4% annual rate compared to 7,7% in November 2014. The main drivers of the   read more »

Annual CPI inflation dropped to 5,8% in November 2014 from 5,9% in October.  Petrol and food prices, which are key drivers of changes in the CPI both showed lower annual inflation rates.  Food inflation continued its slowing trend with a 7,7% annual rate compared to 8% in October.  The main drivers of the steadily declining   read more »

The headline inflation rate was steady at 5,9% in October 2014.  A 2,6% monthly increase in the price of beer was the main driver of the 0,2% change in the headline CPI between September and October.  For the first time, consumers now pay an average of R50 for a six pack of 340ml cans of locally made beer. Wine   read more »

Subdued monthly Producer price index (PPI) in September led the annual PPI for final manufactured goods (headline PPI) to drop to 6,9% from 7,2% in August. Food products, beverages and tobacco products remain the main contributors to the annual PPI. Monthly PPI for agriculture increased with 3,2% in September due to higher prices of live   read more »

The annual inflation rate dropped to 5,9% in September from 6,4% in August. This is the first month since February that it is below the ceiling of the Reserve Bank’s target. The 0,5% drop in the rate was largely because of a 67c/l drop in the petrol price. This is equivalent to a decrease of   read more »

Patrick Kelly – Executive manager for Price statistics, Statistics South Africa, explores the true cost of ‘Braai Day’. South Africans love meat. This is obvious from our cultural affinity for a braai or ShisaNyama. Many celebrated ‘Braai Day’ on this week’s Heritage Day holiday. This importance is also evident from the prominence of meat products   read more »

Consumer inflation (headline CPI) edged up slightly to 6,4% in August compared with July’s reading of 6,3%. The increase was mainly a result of upward pressure from food and motor vehicle prices.  Annual food and beverage inflation, which registered 8,8% in June and July, climbed to 9,4% in August.  Food inflation has been increasing since   read more »

The annual inflation rate slowed to 6,3% in July from the 6,6% registered in the preceding two months. Most municipalities introduce new tariffs in July each year resulting in housing and utilities contributing 0,5 of the 0,8% monthly increase in the CPI. Electricity tariffs increased 7,0%, slightly lower than the maximum 7,4% stipulated by NERSA, the   read more »

Annual consumer inflation for June was steady at 6,6%, with a monthly increase of 0,3%. Food and non-alcoholic beverages prices increased by a modest 0,1% between May and June resulting in an unchanged 8,8% annual rate.  Specific food items which continue to exert upward pressure on inflation are white bread (monthly increase of 1,9%) and full cream   read more »