RETAIL sales accelerated much more than expected in February, suggesting that the expected slowdown in consumer spending may not be as severe as feared and lifting gloom over the growth outlook.

The Johannesburg central business district (CBD) is proving to be an animal with different parts — the good, the bad and the ugly — and savvy property developers are only now starting to figure this out and returning to the inner city.

No one could claim that the South African property market has done well in 2011. Sellers are finding that their estimated prices need to be lowered; buyers are eager but struggle to buy with banks hesitant to approve home loans

A new breed of first-time buyers looking for trendy, loft-style living and a more affordable entry into the housing market are turning to Jo’burg’s inner city.

Buy-to-let purchases fell to a new low of 7% of total property buying in the second quarter of this year, down from the previous quarter's 9%.

The suburb of Nahoon has emerged as the star performer in the East London property market, with average value swelling despite falling demand last year.

THE First National Bank civil construction confidence index jumped from 70 in the third quarter to 83 in the fourth quarter of last year, with greater availability of new work boosting confidence levels.

The index, compiled by the Bureau of Economic Research, recovered notably during the fourth quarter of last year after the relatively sharp drop experienced during the third quarter.

According to the index the growth in civil construction activity during the fourth quarter turned out slightly better than expected.

The higher work volumes executed were accompanied by an improvement in profit margins, hence the overall profitability growth of the businesses that participated in the survey.

Tendering competition dropped sharply during the fourth quarter. A drop in tendering competition is normally associated with the greater availability of new work.

The growth in employment expanded relatively sharply, but respondents to the survey indicated that they battled to procure adequate labour resources.

In fact, 98% of the companies polled indicated they were experiencing skilled labour shortages and this constrained their operational efficiency.

The SA Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors reported a further rise in civil construction employment in the third quarter of last year to 121600. This compares with 108300 a year earlier, an increase of 12%.

Indications are that business conditions will remain positive and lively in the first quarter of this year.

First National Bank reports that activity in the residential property market is at its lowest level

The turnaround story in Johannesburg’s central business district (CBD) is making headlines in several leading newspapers — a stark contrast to the doom and gloom that pervaded just 10 years ago.

The R110m expansion of Rustenburg's Waterfall Mall to 50,000m? is on schedule for the early phases to open by the end of the year.