BER celebrates 80 years of excellence

The Bureau for Economic Research’s highly respected economic analysis and forecasting services have made it a household name in SA and an invaluable partner to both business and government.

New chief economist announced

The BER has appointed its first female chief economist: Lisette IJssel de Schepper. Read more about her appointment here.

Save the date for the BER Gauteng conference

On the 31st of July 2024, the BER will host a special 80th-anniversary conference in Gauteng. Register a free website profile and receive the alert to book your spot, when the conference details are made available. (Please note, creating a profile does not constitute a booking)


Stubborn US price pressure

BER Weekly | 15 March

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After rising to an eight-year high in 2023Q4, the FNB/BER Building Confidence Index fell sharply to 27 in 2024Q1. The decline was broad-based with four of the six sectors recording a fall in sentiment in excess of 20 points. The current level of the index therefore means that more than 70% of respondents are dissatisfied with prevailing business conditions.

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Business Confidence Index
Consumer Confidence Index
Purchasing Managers' Index
Building Confidence Index
Civil Confidence Index

Economic Forecast

Read our latest economic forecast.

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In the first quarter of 2024, the average headline CPI inflation expectations of analysts, business people and trade union officials receded by 0.3 percentage points (% pts) for both 2024 and 2025. The respondents now expect inflation to average 5.4% this year, 5.3% next year and 5.2% in 2026. Among the three social groups, only analysts expect that inflation will subside to below 5% and stabilise at 4.7% in 2025 and 2026. Business people and trade union officials foresee inflation getting stuck above 5%, even in 2026.

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The release calendar will be updated each quarter. Please note that these dates may change.

Wednesday
6 March 2024

RMB/BER Business Confidence Index (BCI)

Tuesday
26 March 2024

FNB/BER Civil Confidence Index

Monday
18 March 2024

Retail Survey

Tuesday
19 March 2024

Inflation Expectation Survey

The first working day of each month

Absa PMI

The first working day of each month

Update

Every Friday

BER Weekly

Monday
11 March 2024

FNB/BER Building Confidence Index

Monday
25 March 2024

FNB/BER Consumer Confidence Index (CCI)

Wednesday
13 March 2024

Absa Manufacturing Survey

Wednesday
27 March 2024

Other Services Survey

The first week of each month

Trends

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The BER Economist Internship Programme provides practical training to appropriately qualified previously disadvantaged individuals. The programme equips trainees to function as economists in the private and/or the public sector.

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