Analysts expect positive shift in unemployment figures


South Africa’s fragile labour market is set to come under the spotlight when the latest unemployment figures are released on Tuesday.

Stats SA is due to publish the results of its Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the final quarter of last year.

Economists are expecting that shifts in the official unemployment rate over the last three months of 2025 may build on the modest positive momentum seen in the third quarter.

Benguela Global Fund Managers senior portfolio manager, Grant Nader says they are looking to see ongoing stability.

“We’d like to see this stemming of the losses in the manufacturing sector as the rand strengthens, it makes it more … it makes it cheaper to import. So we don’t want to see that sector coming under too much pressure.”

“Then we’d like to see that momentum in the hospitality and retail, you know, on the back of good tourism, add some further jobs. So around 31.7 – 31.8 would be a nice little positive surprise,” adds Nader.

StatsSA to release unemployment figures tomorrow: Tshepo Mongoai

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