Absence of load-shedding signals positive outlook for business – index
The lack of load-shedding in April, resulted in an uptick in the outlook for business conditions in the next six months, a survey revealed.
The Absa Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) for April, released on Thursday, increased by 2.2 points to 47.2. This is the first increase following three months of decline, according to the report.
The PMI measures economic trends specifically in the manufacturing sector. The index may have improved in April, but it is still below the neutral mark of 50.
"This means factory conditions stabilised at a fairly depressed level at the start of the second quarter," the report read.
Among the factors which are measured by the PMI include expectations of business conditions. This index rose to 62.3 points in April, compared to 59.6 reported in March.
"The lack of load-shedding during the month may have supported the slight improvement in sentiment," the report suggested.
Other indices which reported improvements include business activity - increasing to 49.6 compared to 41.7 reported in March. New sales orders also improved – up to 47.3 compared to 42.4 reported in March. However, these indices still remain within a "contractionary" terrain, the report indicated.
Only one index – which tracks the performance of suppliers - exceeded the 50 mark, at 53.4 points. However, this index declined from 55.3 reported in March.
Other indices which declined include the inventories index – which dropped to 42.5 from 50.1 reported in March. The employment index also declined to 41.9 compared to 42.7 reported previously.
Comments
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
John Thompson, the leader in energy and environmental solutions through value engineering and innovation, provides the following: design, engineer,...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Rooted in the hearts of South Africans, combining technology and a quest for perfection to bring you a battery of peerless standing. Willard...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
