Consumer inflation slowed to an annual 8.5% from 8.6% in February, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said on Wednesday.
The figure was widely expected by economists.
"This is roughly market consensus," said Efficient Group economist Dawie Roodt.
He expected the consumer price index (CPI) to drop to within the
South African Reserve Bank's target of 3% to 6% around October this year.
"The CPI is then expected to accelerate to about 6%."
Roodt said the Reserve Bank had to be careful not to cut rates by too much.
"They're expected to cut by 100 basis points tomorrow [Thursday] but I think a cut of 50 basis points would be wiser."
According to Stats SA, headline CPI inflation on a monthly
basis came in at 1,3% in March compared to 1.2% in
February.
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