BankservAfrica Economic Transactions Index back on track
Johannesburg - Ending the year positively, the BankservAfrica Economic Transactions Index (BETI) for December 2022 improved despite the ongoing, dismal economic context.
“After six consecutive months of declines, the BETI rose to an index level of 132.1 in December, almost on par with the January 2022 level of 132.8,” says Shergeran Naidoo, BankservAfrica’s Head of Stakeholder Engagements. On an annual basis, the BETI increased by 1.7% vs a revised decline of 0.9% in November. The monthly, quarterly and annual improvements all signal some improvement in the broader economy.
“The welcomed improvement to the BETI occurred against the broader economic context that has remained fairly grim during December, with load shedding continuing, interest rates and inflation remaining at elevated levels and the global economic slowdown gaining momentum,” comments independent economist Elize Kruger.
The latest movement in the BETI is a reflection of the South African economy’s resilience, as well as the annual festive season spend that contributed to the number of electronic transactions pushing to an all-time high of 143.6 million, an 11.4% year-on-year increase and 2.7% up on a monthly basis. According to Naidoo, the standardised nominal value of transactions cleared through BankservAfrica was R1.3 trillion in December.
The same positive trend was mirrored in the Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index, which increased from 52.6 in November to 53.1 in December, ending the difficult year for the manufacturing sector at the highest level in seven months. Meanwhile, the S&P Global South Africa PMI, which reflects activity in the broader private sector, slipped to 50.2 in December after the 50.6 tracked in November.
Vehicle sales moderated somewhat in December, though as a seasonal phenomenon. Globally, the latest J.P. Morgan Global Composite Output Index highlighted how the global economy declined for the fifth successive month in December. Overall, 2022 was characterised by an economic scenario of ‘muddle-along-little-thriving’ as multiple headwinds plagued the economy. “The BETI ending December slightly below the January 2022 index level confirms this reality,” explains Kruger.
While the improvement in the BETI for December is encouraging, there are indications that we could expect ‘more of the same’ in 2023, as the main challenges of load shedding and households under pressure from elevated inflation and interest rates are likely to remain. All indications also point to a less supportive global environment as the International Monetary Fund recently warned that a third of the global economy could be in a recession this year, adding to the risks for the South African economy from an export and commodity price perspective. One silver lining is the expectation that consumer inflation should moderate and provide some relief for many South Africans.
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