After crashing to an all-time low of five in the second quarter, the RMB/BER Business Confidence Index increased further from 24 in the third quarter to 40 in the fourth quarter.

RMB SA Economists Siobhan Redford and Mpho Molopyane discuss the sustainability of this increase, and say that activity in sectors linked to the supply-side of the economy (building and manufacturing) will have to catch up to help ensure that the upward trend in confidence lasts.