South Africa
South Africa, in numbers.
More than 40 numbers that describe the South African economy, from the size of the country to this month’s inflation, plus the markets that price it. Each shows the latest reading, the one before, the trend and when the next one lands.
Markets
Delayed prices. Day and one-year change.
JSE Top 40
101,222
- Day
- +1.05%
- 1 year
- +0.11%
JSE All Share
108,769
- Day
- +0.93%
- 1 year
- +0.63%
Rand per US dollar
R16.68
- Day
- +1.61%
- 1 year
- -3.04%
Rand per euro
R18.76
- Day
- +0.89%
- 1 year
- -7.05%
Rand per pound
R22.04
- Day
- +1.18%
- 1 year
- -4.99%
Gold
US$4,212 /oz
- Day
- +0.24%
- 1 year
- +8.90%
Platinum
US$1,745 /oz
- Day
- +2.30%
- 1 year
- +11.57%
Brent crude
US$99.33 /bbl
- Day
- -2.91%
- 1 year
- +54.94%
The country
| Indicator | Latest | Previous | Trend | Next release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PopulationPeople living in South Africa. | 64.7m▲2025 · people | 64.0m | AnnualWorld Bank | |
| GDPThe size of the economy in US dollars. | US$427.2bn▲2025 | US$401.1bn | AnnualWorld Bank | |
| GDP per personGDP divided by the population. | US$6,597.7▲2025 | US$6,267.2 | AnnualWorld Bank | |
| GDP growth (annual)Real growth over the calendar year. | 1.11%▲2025 | 0.53% | AnnualWorld Bank | |
| Government debtCentral government debt as a share of the economy. | 82.76%▲2024 · of GDP | 79.41% | AnnualWorld Bank | |
| Tax revenueTaxes collected as a share of the economy. | 25.88%▲2024 · of GDP | 25.4% | AnnualWorld Bank | |
| ExportsGoods and services sold abroad. | 31.41%▼2025 · of GDP | 31.79% | AnnualWorld Bank | |
| Foreign direct investmentNew foreign investment into businesses. | -0.51%▼2025 · of GDP | 0.58% | AnnualWorld Bank | |
| Youth unemploymentUnemployment among 15 to 24 year olds (ILO estimate). | 59.93%▼2025 | 60.25% | AnnualWorld Bank | |
| Inequality (Gini)0 is perfect equality, 100 is perfect inequality. | 54.1▼2022 · index | 59.6 | AnnualWorld Bank | |
| Urban populationShare of people living in towns and cities. | 63.82%▲2025 | 63.69% | AnnualWorld Bank | |
| Internet usersShare of people using the internet. | 78.36%▲2024 | 78.34% | AnnualWorld Bank | |
| Life expectancyExpected years of life at birth. | 66.31 yrs▲2024 | 66.14 yrs | AnnualWorld Bank |
Growth
| Indicator | Latest | Previous | Trend | Next release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GDP growth (year on year)How much more the economy produced than a year earlier. | 0.9%▼Q2 | 1.9% | –Statistics South Africa | |
| GDP growth (quarter on quarter)Growth on the previous quarter, seasonally adjusted. | -0.2%▼Q2 | 0.5% | –Statistics South Africa | |
| Leading indicatorThe Reserve Bank’s early signal of where the cycle is turning. | -0.9%▲Jul | -1.4% | 27 Oct 2026Reserve Bank |
Jobs
| Indicator | Latest | Previous | Trend | Next release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateShare of the labour force without work (official definition). | 33.6%▲Q2 | 32.7% | –Statistics South Africa | |
| Unemployed peoplePeople looking for work and unable to find it. | 8.5m▲Q2 | 8.1m | –Statistics South Africa |
Prices
| Indicator | Latest | Previous | Trend | Next release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflation (CPI)How much consumer prices rose over the past year. | 4.4%▲Aug | 4.3% | 21 Oct 2026Statistics South Africa | |
| Inflation, monthlyThe change in consumer prices on the month before. | 0.0%▼Aug | 0.2% | 21 Oct 2026Statistics South Africa | |
| Core inflationInflation without food, fuel and energy. | 4.1%▼Aug | 4.2% | 21 Oct 2026Statistics South Africa | |
| Producer prices (PPI)Factory-gate prices, an early sign of shop prices. | 5.0%▼Aug | 5.7% | 29 Oct 2026Statistics South Africa | |
| Inflation expectationsWhere businesses, unions and analysts expect inflation to go. | 4.0%▼Q3 | 4.2% | –Bureau for Economic Research (BER) |
Money and rates
| Indicator | Latest | Previous | Trend | Next release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repo rateThe Reserve Bank’s policy rate. | 7.25%▲23 Sept 2026 | 7.0% | 19 Nov 2026Reserve Bank | |
| Prime lending rateWhat banks charge their best customers. | 10.75%▲23 Sept 2026 | 10.5% | –Reserve Bank | |
| Private sector creditGrowth in lending to households and companies. | 7.47%▲Aug | 7.41% | 29 Oct 2026Reserve Bank | |
| Money supply (M3)Growth in the broad money supply. | 8.89%▲Aug | 8.57% | 29 Oct 2026Reserve Bank | |
| Foreign exchange reservesThe Reserve Bank’s gross reserves. | US$76.0bn▲Aug | US$73.5bn | 07 Oct 2026Reserve Bank |
Trade
| Indicator | Latest | Previous | Trend | Next release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade balanceExports minus imports for the month. | R20.5bn▲Aug | R20.1bn | 30 Oct 2026Revenue Service | |
| Current accountTrade, income and transfers with the rest of the world, quarterly. | -R205.5bn▼Q2 | R190.7bn | –Reserve Bank | |
| Gold productionGold output on a year earlier. | -7.4%▼Jul | 6.2% | 13 Oct 2026Statistics South Africa |
Government
| Indicator | Latest | Previous | Trend | Next release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget balanceGovernment revenue minus spending for the month. | -R29.1bn▲Aug | -R161.6bn | 30 Oct 2026National Treasury |
Business
| Indicator | Latest | Previous | Trend | Next release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absa manufacturing PMIAbove 50 means factories are expanding. | 50.7▲Sep | 45.8 | 02 Nov 2026Bureau for Economic Research (BER) | |
| Business confidence (RMB/BER)Share of business people satisfied with conditions. | 38▼Q3 | 39 | –Bureau for Economic Research (BER) | |
| SACCI business confidenceThe Chamber of Commerce’s business index. | 123.5▼Jun | 125.4 | 14 Oct 2026Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) | |
| Manufacturing outputFactory output on a year earlier. | 1.1%▲Jul | -1.7% | 08 Oct 2026Statistics South Africa | |
| Mining outputMining output on a year earlier. | -7.5%▼Jul | -4.0% | 13 Oct 2026Statistics South Africa | |
| Building plans passedPlans approved on a year earlier, a lead for construction. | 4.1%▼Jul | 30.5% | 22 Oct 2026Statistics South Africa |
Consumers
| Indicator | Latest | Previous | Trend | Next release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail salesReal retail sales on a year earlier. | 3.4%▲Jul | 1.6% | 21 Oct 2026Statistics South Africa | |
| Retail sales, monthlyReal retail sales on the month before. | 2.5%▲Jul | -0.6% | 21 Oct 2026Statistics South Africa | |
| Consumer confidence (FNB/BER)Below zero means consumers are gloomy. | -13▲Q3 | -19 | –Bureau for Economic Research (BER) | |
| New vehicle salesNew vehicles sold in the month. | 61.7k▲Sep | 57.9k | 02 Nov 2026NAAMSA |
Sources: official releases via the TradingView economic calendar (Stats SA, the Reserve Bank, National Treasury, SARS, BER, Absa, NAAMSA and others), the South African Reserve Bank, World Bank Open Data and Yahoo Finance.
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