EDITORIAL: Current account good news for rand and economy
Improved trade surplus driven more by higher exports and better global pricing than by slower imports
Better-than-expected data on the current account (https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/economy/2025-03-06-sa-current-account-deficit-narrows-sharply-in-the-fourth-quarter-of-2024/) of the balance of payments came as positive news that helped to underpin the rand exchange rate (https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/markets/2025-03-09-rand-has-its-best-week-in-six-months/).
The deficit on the current account narrowed by more than market consensus in the fourth quarter, and for 2024 as a whole it was 0.6% of GDP, down from 1.6% in 2023. The narrower the current account deficit, the less SA needs by way of foreign capital inflows to fund it, and the less pressure there is on the rand exchange rate as a result...
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