Kaya 959 Kaya Biz

RMB/BER BUSINESS CONFIDENCE INDEX STUCK AT A LOW LEVEL

Loading player...
GUEST – Siobhan Redford, an economist at Rand Merchant Bank

Following a two-point decline in the fourth quarter of 2023, the RMB/BER Business Confidence Index (BCI) ticked down by another point to reach 30 in the first quarter of 2024. This means that seven out of ten survey respondents are unsatisfied with prevailing business conditions. Taking a slightly longer perspective shows a concerning picture as less than four out of ten survey respondents were satisfied with prevailing business conditions for seven consecutive quarters. Business confidence was, again, largely unchanged among building contractors and wholesalers. Declines in sentiment in the retail and manufacturing sectors outweighed a ten-point improvement among new vehicle dealers.
6 Mar 2024 3PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

Tracking South Africa’s Reform Agenda

Econometrix Chief Economist Dr. Azar Jammine breaks down the latest Operation Vulindlela progress report. We explore where reforms are gaining traction—from energy restructuring to freight logistics—and where bottlenecks remain.
28 Apr 3PM 20 min

Is SA’s Construction Sector Turning?

Economist Dr. Roelof Botha analyzes the latest Afrimat Construction Index alongside Operation Vulindlela’s reform dashboard. With construction activity rising for a second quarter, we ask whether reforms in energy, logistics, and water are finally translating into real‑world infrastructure momentum.
28 Apr 3PM 13 min

Making B‑BBEE Work for Growth

NEF General Counsel Karishma Govender joins us to unpack new research on managers’ perceptions of B‑BBEE. We explore why transformation remains essential.
28 Apr 3PM 8 min

Inside the SpendTrend26 Report

Discovery Bank CEO Hylton Kallner joins Kaya Biz to unpack the SpendTrend26 report, revealing how South Africans are becoming more disciplined, more digital, and more value‑driven.
28 Apr 3PM 17 min

Long‑Term Investing in Uncertain Markets

With global conflict, inflation swings, and rapid AI disruption, investors are feeling the pressure. Horacia Naidoo‑McCarthy from Allan Gray explains how to avoid emotional decision‑making, anchor to fundamentals, and maintain long‑term discipline when markets feel unfamiliar and unpredictable.
28 Apr 3PM 12 min
All episodes