August producer prices climb most since 2016

Growth in South African producer prices accelerated at the fastest rate since 2016 in August as fuel prices surged.

Producer inflation quickened to 6.3% from a year earlier compared with 6.1% in July, Pretoria-based Statistics South Africa said in a statement on its website Thursday. That’s the fastest pace of increases since December 2016.

Gasoline prices surged to a record in September even as the government intervened in setting prices for the first time since the early 2000s. Crude has climbed 20% this year and the rand has lost 13% against the dollar, raising the cost of imports of the fuel, which the country doesn’t produce.

Petroleum prices climbed 25% from a year earlier, while diesel surged 28% the statistics agency said.

Source: moneyweb.co.za