On November 22, 2018, the South African Reserve Bank increased its prime interest rate by 25 basis points to 6.75% to try to stop the steep rise of inflation.
This is the first increase of the prime rate since March 2016.
"The weaker exchange rate and the impact of higher oil prices have contributed to inflation since March 2018. At the same time, domestic growth remains weak", the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) indicated.
"[…] Delaying the adjustment could cause inflation expectations to become entrenched at higher levels and thus contribute to second round effects, which would require an even stronger monetary policy response in the future", the committee added.
According to Statistics South Africa, inflation rose from 3.8% in March 2018 to 5.1% in October 2018. Despite this rise, it is still within the 3%-6% range set by the Monetary Policy Committee.
Deposits grow 2.7%, supporting lending recovery Average loan sizes small, credit risk persists ...
Oil majors expand offshore exploration from Senegal to Angola Gulf of Guinea accounts for about 1...
MTN is considering buying back telecom towers it sold years ago, signalling that control of infras...
Rwanda, partners break ground on $2 billion Kigali Innovation City Smart city targets ...
The BCEAO granted Semoa a level-3 “full service” payment institution license on January 27, 2026...
Platform enables access to taxes, banking, civil records Government says biometric data stored by interior ministry Djibouti’s President...
Cambridge museum to return 116 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria Artifacts looted by British troops in 1897 European nations accelerate restitution...
First LNG cargo exported from Nguya FLNG unit Project capacity rises to 3 million tons per year Gas sourced from Marine XII block operated...
Nigeria to begin selling selected state-owned assets in 2026 under Tinubu’s fiscal reform programme. BPE has identified 91 federal assets across...
Porlahla Festival ends third edition in Kouto, promoting Senufo culture Event draws regional and international participants, boosting cultural...
Essaouira is a coastal city in Morocco, on the Atlantic Ocean, in the Marrakech–Safi region, about two and a half hours by road from Marrakech. It stands...