Tenth womans body discovered in Ekurhuleni, and South Africa has a sim card problem
Investors will have their eyes on several economic indicators next week, following the rand’s softening amid an interest rate hike.
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) opted to hike interest rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday, citing inflationary concerns from high global oil prices.
Next week, investors will have their eyes on the SARB’s quarterly bulletin, which will provide deeper insight into South Africa’s economic performance in Q2.
In particular, it will reveal information about household finances, which are believed to have been resilient despite consistent energy concerns.
The Private Sector Credit Extension is forecast to remain relatively firm by Nedbank economists, who are expecting it to soften from 7.4% in July to 6.9% in August.
Corporate credit demand is also forecast to hold steady at approximately 9.4% as persistent energy concerns continue to weigh on business confidence.
The Producer Price Index (PPI) is expected to rise slightly to 5.9% in August, up from 5.7% in July, according to Nedbank economists.
“The anticipated increase is largely driven by the coke and petroleum products category, reflecting higher fuel costs,” Nedbank said.
“Beyond fuel, other input costs, particularly higher electricity tariffs, remained elevated and continued to place upward pressure on producer prices.”
Other important information being published this week includes trade data, which is forecast to show that the trade surplus narrowed in August, and new vehicle sales data.
On Sunday, 27 September 2026, the rand was trading at R16.30 to the dollar, R21.60 to the pound, and R18.56 to the euro. Gold is trading at $4,285.29, while oil prices were at $104.30 a barrel.
5 important things
Another woman’s body discovered in Ekurhuleni: police have confirmed a tenth woman’s body found in Ekurhuleni since July. [EWN]
South Africa has a SIM card problem: South Africa has a significant plastic SIM card problem, with mobile network operators issuing as many as 200 million SIM cards a year in a country with only around 25 million economically active people. [MyBroadband]
One country buys 8% of South Africa’s exported fruits and vegetables: Zimbabwe is one of South Africa’s most important agricultural markets, accounting for 8% of the country’s total fruit and vegetable exports in 2025. [DailyInvestor]
R130 million corruption investigation at the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority: The DA has called on acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia to intervene in the management crisis at the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority. [Newsday]
R165 for a full tank of petrol in South Africa: A full tank of petrol that cost South African motorists less than R165 in 1996 now costs more than R2,000. [BusinessTech]
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