With South Africa’s inflation rate below the lower limit of the inflation target at 2.9%, and local inflationary expectations remaining well-anchored, it was expected that the Monetary Policy Committee would keep the repo rate unchanged, says Dr Andrew Golding, chief executive of the Pam Golding Property group.

On a year-on-year basis, Total Restaurant, Catering and Take-Aways Retail Sales Income growth recorded 5.2% in September.

Today’s repo rate reduction of 25bps (to 6.5%), coupled with early indicators of recovery in the South African residential property market augur well for the balance of the year and underscore the opportunity for home buyers to capitalise on the current favourable market conditions before the market enters a decisive upturn.

The first quarter of 2019 saw significant diverging trends at a segment level in private sector financed residential building activity in South Africa.

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank has once again decided to leave South Africa’s repo rate unchanged at 6,75% and prime interest rate the same at 10,25%.

Growth in the value of outstanding credit balances in the South African household sector, which amounted to R1 641,5 billion, increased further to 5,9% year-on-year (y/y) at end January from 5,7% y/y at end-December and 3,7% the end of January last year.

Today’s October CPI (Consumer Price Index) showed a slight acceleration in its year-on-year inflation rate, from 4.9% in the previous month to 5.1%.

Data published by Statistics South Africa with regard to private sector-financed residential building activity (see explanatory note) showed that the planning phase of new housing improved in the first seven months of 2018, whereas the construction phase contracted.

One of the most highly anticipated events on the South African shopping centre and retail calendar is fast approaching – the South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) 22^nd Annual Congress sponsored by Broll Property Group.

The upswing in consumer confidence in the first three months of 2018 was a welcome change from the depressed environment which overshadowed the last quarter of 2018.