RMB/BER South Africa Business Confidence Index

The RMB/BER Business Confidence Index reflects the general state of the economy as it relates to business doing conditions in South Africa. It can be useful in analyzing the economic situation in the short term.

The Bureau for Economic Research conducts a quarterly survey among a constant sample of manufacturing and construction companies, retailers and wholesalers, and car dealers. This is a simple and rapid survey containing a small number if questions. It is designed for short-term analysis of business conditions. The questions are qualitative in nature, i.e. the respondents are asked to evaluate changes from the previous period: whether estimates have increased, decreased or they have not changed.

The Business Confidence index can have values from 0 to 100, with 0 denoting pessimism and extreme uncertainty, 50 showing neutrality and 100 meaning the highest confidence. Higher than expected readings can be seen as positive for the South African rand.