South Africa Business Sentiment Weakens to 5-Month Low: SACCI

2026-04-21 09:53 By Luisa Carvalho 1 min. read

The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) business confidence index fell to 131.3 in March 2026, the lowest since last October, from 134.6 in the prior month, largely reflecting external pressures linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict.

SACCI noted businesses were particularly concerned about weaker foreign merchandise trade volumes and higher energy costs.

A weaker and more volatile rand, lower JSE share prices, falling precious metal prices and reduced foreign trade volumes weighed on sentiment, partly offset by lower inflation, a steady improvement in new vehicle sales and increased tourist arrivals over the festive season.

Meanwhile, the Chamber said the first quarter average for 2026 reached 132.4, compared to 123.1 in the same period last year, signaling an overall improvement in business sentiment over the longer term.



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South Africa Business Sentiment Weakens to 5-Month Low: SACCI
The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) business confidence index fell to 131.3 in March 2026, the lowest since last October, from 134.6 in the prior month, largely reflecting external pressures linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict. SACCI noted businesses were particularly concerned about weaker foreign merchandise trade volumes and higher energy costs. A weaker and more volatile rand, lower JSE share prices, falling precious metal prices and reduced foreign trade volumes weighed on sentiment, partly offset by lower inflation, a steady improvement in new vehicle sales and increased tourist arrivals over the festive season. Meanwhile, the Chamber said the first quarter average for 2026 reached 132.4, compared to 123.1 in the same period last year, signaling an overall improvement in business sentiment over the longer term.
2026-04-21
Business Confidence in South Africa Eases in January: SACCI
The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) business confidence index edged down to 131.4 in January 2026 from 133.2 in the prior month, which was the highest since June 2011. Nevertheless, the business chamber emphasized that sentiment stayed elevated after a notable improvement in 2025, with the index hitting its highest level since 2013. The monthly decline was attributed to weakness in manufacturing, merchandise exports and vehicle sales.
2026-02-18
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The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) business confidence index climbed to 132.3 in November 2025, the highest since July 2011, from 13.8 in the prior month. The main driver was a sharp increase in overseas tourist numbers. Nevertheless, the chamber cautioned that the November data should be interpreted carefully, noting that some key physical economic activities remain lagging, reflecting a slow-growing economy in need of stronger investor confidence and fixed investment. “The current BCI level may, however, inspire structural economic policy adjustments that could attract local and foreign capital to support higher economic growth, employment and inclusion to share in value added and wealth creation,” Sacci concluded.
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