Annual consumer inflation declined to 5,3% in March<\/a> after climbing for the first two months of the year. The headline rate has trended between 5% and 6% since September\u00a02023.<\/p>\n The categories with the highest annual price changes in March were miscellaneous goods & services, education, health, and housing & utilities. On a positive note, food inflation continued to soften, with the annual rate in March the lowest since September\u00a02020. Bread & cereals; meat; milk, eggs & cheese; fruit; vegetables; sugar, sweets & desserts; and \u2018other\u2019 food products recorded lower annual rates in March.<\/p>\n Producer inflation has also maintained a narrow band, fluctuating in the 4% to 5% range since November\u00a02023. Factory gate inflation was 4,6% in March<\/a>, with food & beverages and petroleum & chemicals the most significant contributors.<\/p>\n Mining experiences a welcome surge<\/strong><\/p>\n Seasonally adjusted mining production expanded by 5,0%<\/a> between January and February, the largest month-on-month increase since March 2023. Production increased by 9,9% in the 12\u00a0months to February, the highest year-on-year print since July\u00a02021. Iron ore and coal drove much of the upward momentum, while gold and manganese ore were softer.<\/p>\n Manufacturing was also stronger year-on-year in February. Production increased by 4,1%<\/a>, mainly lifted by wood, paper, printing & publishing and food & beverages. All divisions recorded a positive month, except for the automotive sector that registered a decline.<\/p>\n Shoppers shied away from textiles & clothing stores, contributing to a 0,8% decrease<\/a> in retail trade in February. Hardware, paint & glass recorded its 10th consecutive month of year-on-year decline. On the upside, general dealers registered positive gains, as well as stores specialising in household goods, pharmaceuticals & cosmetics, and food & beverages.<\/p>\n Other industries that recorded weaker year-on-year results in February include construction<\/a> (buildings completed as reported by large municipalities), wholesale trade<\/a> and road freight<\/a> (Figure\u00a01).<\/p>\n What to look forward to in May<\/strong><\/p>\n Notable releases in May include the next Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS)<\/a> release on 14 May, covering employment and unemployment data for the first quarter of 2024. The 2023 General Household Survey (GHS)<\/a> will be released on 23 May.<\/p>\n Interested to know more? Keep up to date with our publication schedule here<\/a>. For a comprehensive list of products and releases, download our catalogue here<\/a>. For a regular update of indicators and infographics, visit our data story feed<\/a> and download the latest edition of the Stats Biz newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After a bumper month in March, Stats SA\u2019s publication schedule was quieter in April. The statistical agency published 20 releases, many of which provide an update on the state of the economy. Consumer inflation remains above 5% Annual consumer inflation declined to 5,3% in March after climbing for the first two months of the read more »<\/a><\/p>\n![\"EconPics\"](\"https:\/\/www.statssa.gov.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/EconPics-300x246.jpg\")
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