Consumer inflation softens as fuel prices ease
Headline inflation dipped to 5,7% in January from 5,9% in December, mainly the result of lower fuel prices. The consumer price index (CPI) increased by 0,2% between December and January, compared with a monthly rate of 0,6% in December. This CPI release is the first to be compiled using the recently updated weights and basket read more »
Gin is in and DVD players are ejected as Stats SA updates the inflation basket
Stats SA published changes to the consumer inflation basket, providing insight into how household spending habits have shifted since 2016. It is best practice for national statistical offices to update the basket at least every five years to ensure that it adequately reflects trends in household spending, technology and consumer tastes. The process involves removing read more »
Inflation continues to accelerate amid higher fuel and food prices
Headline consumer inflation ended 2021 at 5,9% in December, up from 5,5% in November. The monthly increase was 0,6%, slightly higher than the 0,5% rise recorded between October and November. Average consumer inflation for 2021 was 4,5%, higher than the averages recorded for 2020 (3,3%) and 2019 (4,1%). The factors driving the rise in the read more »
Consumer inflation the highest since March 2017
Annual consumer inflation accelerated to its highest reading in more than four-and-a-half years in November, driven mostly by rising transport costs. The annual change in the consumer price index (CPI) was 5,5%, up from 5,0% in October and September. This is the biggest annual increase since March 2017 when the rate was 6,1%. The monthly read more »
A deep dive into the price of fuel
Note: The original version of this article, published on 1 December 2021, was based on fuel price adjustments announced by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) on 29 November. On 1 December, the DMRE made changes to these adjustments. This article was revised on 2 December 2021 to reflect these changes. Fuel prices read more »
Consumer inflation holds steady in October
The annual change in the consumer price index (CPI) in October 2021 was 5,0%, unchanged from the 5,0% recorded in September. The monthly rate also held steady, remaining at 0,2%. Food and non-alcoholic beverages (NAB) and transport were the most significant contributors to both the annual and monthly rates. Annual food inflation slows for a read more »
Consumer inflation quickens for a second month
Annual consumer price inflation edged slightly higher to 5,0% in September from 4,9% in August and 4,6% in July. This represents the fifth consecutive month with annual inflation above the 4,5% midpoint of the South African Reserve Bank’s monetary policy target range. The monthly change in the consumer price index (CPI) was 0,2%. Transport, food read more »
Continuous Population Survey (CPS) test goes to the field
Who are the poor? Where do they live? And what are their life circumstances? This is part of the information that the expenditure year of the Continuous Population Survey (CPS) aims to collect from South African households to monitor and profile poverty and inequality levels in the country and to provide data that can be read more »
Consumer inflation edges up in August
The annual change in the consumer price index (CPI) in August was 4,9%. This was slightly higher than July’s increase of 4,6% and identical to the reading in June. This is the fourth consecutive month where the annual increase is higher than the midpoint (4,5%) of the South African Reserve Bank’s monetary policy target range. read more »
Inflation softens for a second month
Annual consumer price inflation edged lower to 4,6% in July from 4,9% in June and 5,2% in May. The monthly increase in the consumer price index (CPI) in July was 1,1%, the highest monthly jump since July 2020 when the CPI increased by 1,3%. The primary drivers behind the monthly rise were alcoholic beverages, housing read more »