ECONOMIC WEEK AHEAD: Retail trade sales may reflect positive story
The quarterly labour force survey revealing employment trends will be the main economic data this week
Seasonal hiring ahead of the festive period in 2017 may have boosted employment during the first quarter of 2018, data due this week is expected to show. However, uncertainty over future job creation remains. The quarterly labour force survey revealing employment trends during the first quarter will be the main economic data this week alongside retail trade sales that are expected to reflect a positive outcome. Second-tier data for March include civil cases for debt, wholesale and motor trade sales and building statistics scheduled for release on Thursday. The South African Chamber of Commerce trade conditions survey for April will be published on Wednesday. Employment data will be published on Tuesday. The unemployment rate dipped to 26.7% in the fourth quarter of 2017 – from 27.7% in the previous quarter — and economists do not expect much improvement, especially since the spike in seasonal hiring over the festive period is typically reversed in the following quarter. Lara Hodes, ...
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