SAGBs are priced for stormy waters but Minister Godongwana has a strong hand on the tiller

US inflation for March surprised on the downside, with core CPI below 3%, says STANLIB Chief Economist, Kevin Lings. However, the longer that steep tariffs remain in place between the US and China, the likelier it is that stagflation will follow. More significantly, latest surveys show US business and consumer…

In this week’s podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist Kevin Lings touches on the disagreement within the Government of National Unity (GNU) on the Fiscal Framework, where the ANC seems to have won power and the DA lost power. However, discussions are still under way. In more depth, Kevin discusses the reciprocal…

In this short podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, explores the implications of the passing of the controversial 2025 Budget in the National Assembly by the ANC in alliance with smaller parties, excluding the DA. This is very likely to lead to a 0.5% increase in VAT in 2025 and…

In this podcast, STANLIB Chief Economist Kevin Lings unpacks the reasons for the higher tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump, and their possible impacts. Those impacts are likely to include higher inflationary pressure, especially in the US, and a widespread slowdown in economic activity, though it is too soon…

In this week’s podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist Kevin Lings discusses increasing nervousness in US financial markets about stagflation as a result of President Trump’s tariff moves. Inflation looks likely to remain above the US Federal Reserve’s target for some time, while forward-looking indicators on manufacturing and tourism suggest a slowing…