National Property Portfolio on Auction

National Property Portfolio on Auction
Loading

SA trade gap narrows in December

January 31 2013 at 03:10pm
By Reuters

Comment on this story

IOL business graph

.

Johannesburg - South Africa's trade deficit narrowed to 2.7 billion rand ($298 million) in December from 7.94 billion rand in November as imports fell sharply on a month-on-month basis, the revenue service said on Thursday.

December exports decreased by 9.8 percent over the previous month while imports slid by 15.8 percent, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) said.

Economists surveyed by Reuters last week expected a trade shortfall of 2.5 billion rand.

The data is volatile and often difficult to predict.

Imports of machinery, electrical appliances, equipment components and products from the chemicals and related industries were down on the month, while exports of base metals, vessels and aircraft also fell.

The cumulative deficit for 2012 amounted to 117.7 billion rand compared with a 16.9 billion rand shortfall the previous year, SARS said. - Reuters


sign up
 
 

Comment Guidelines


  1. Please read our comment guidelines.
  2. Login and register, if you haven’ t already.
  3. Write your comment in the block below and click (Post As)
  4. Has a comment offended you? Hover your mouse over the comment and wait until a small triangle appears on the right-hand side. Click triangle () and select "Flag as inappropriate". Our moderators will take action if need be.

     

Join us on

 IOL-Social networks IOL-Social networks IOL-Social networks IOL-Social networks
IOL Travel

Make sure you find the best available airfares with our easy-to-use search engine.

Travel_pic_enw
Sudoku