Surge in unregulated buy-now-pay-later raises affordability concerns
Credit expansion is coming almost entirely from the deeper use of cards and personal loans by current credit-active consumers, rather than fresh market entrants, says RCS.
inflation
Budget gap widens as revenue projections slide
The revised Budget reveals the hard truth: with limited borrowing room and rising demands, Treasury must make tough calls on what to fund – and what to cut.
South Africans swipe more, save less as financial strain deepens
The SpendTrend25 report reveals how high interest rates and stagnant incomes are pushing consumers towards credit, loyalty rewards, and early retirement withdrawals.
Budget: higher taxes, rising costs, and no relief for households
A phased VAT increase and frozen tax brackets mean South Africans will pay more, while concerns grow over government spending and economic stagnation.
Debt crisis deepens: South Africans using up to 75% of income to repay debt
DebtBusters’ Q4 2024 Debt Index reveals a worsening cash flow crunch, with rising reliance on short-term loans and record-high debt service ratios.
Surrenders and competition challenge the insurance market, says Moody’s
Life insurers are expected to maintain steady profitability, but policy surrenders and competition-driven pricing pressures could impact long-term growth.
Bank of America predicts only one repo rate cut this year
Stable growth and fiscal discipline could see South Africa’s credit rating rise two notches in the next three years.
Fund managers cautiously optimistic on domestic assets
While bullish sentiment towards equities cools, local assets remain a top pick for 2025, with gold and bonds gaining favour, BofA survey finds.
The two key risks investors should watch amid the Trump noise
Old Mutual Wealth’s Izak Odendaal believes the only two risks that should concern investors are the US economy going into a recession and the Fed hiking interest rates.
Is South Africa back on track?
While challenges remain, improvements in energy supply, the rand, and infrastructure investment offer hope for future growth, provided the government continues to deliver on its promises.
Rethinking inflation: SARB’s governor on achieving lower rates without sacrificing growth
Having reached the target of 4.5% with ‘little or no cost’, Lesetja Kganyago argues that South Africa can achieve permanently lower inflation and interest rates.
Why lower CPI won’t mean lower healthcare costs for South Africans
Medical inflation outpaces CPI because of unique pressures such as the rising costs of technology, chronic diseases, and private healthcare pricing.
SARB’s first rate cut in four years sparks debate on interest rate trajectory
How low will the repo rate drop, and how fast? Economists share their insights.
What is supercore inflation, and could it influence the SARB’s rate decisions?
With the South African Reserve Bank’s 25 basis point interest rate cut announced last week, Ninety One explores the central bank’s new inflation measures – supercore and PCCI.
Discovery announces 2025 contribution increases: average hike of 9.3%
Discovery Health Medical Scheme’s contribution adjustments will be more evenly distributed across its members, highlighting the widespread effects of increasing medical inflation on contribution rates.
Why your salary feels smaller: purchasing power plummets as debt levels soar
Even as inflation eases, high interest rates continue to erode incomes, forcing many South Africans to rely on loans to get by.
Will medical schemes adhere to an inflation-linked tariff hike?
The Council for Medical Schemes has advised medical schemes to limit their contribution increases for 2025 to 4.4% plus ‘reasonable’ utilisation estimates.
