NOW Ep 130 | Global economy: mid-year health check
About this episode
The episode discusses the current state of the global economy and its implications for South Africa, featuring insights from Investec economists.
The global economy has held up but that does not mean risk has faded. At the halfway point of 2026, growth has been stronger than feared and inflation has cooled, but not enough. Central banks remain cautious while energy markets are still exposed to Middle East disruption. For South Africa, the global backdrop feeds directly into the rand, inflation, capital flows, commodity prices and the Reserve Bank’s room to move. In the latest episode of No Ordinary Wednesday, Jeremy Maggs speaks to Investec economists Ryan Djajasaputra and Annabel Bishop about what could shape the second half of the year. They discuss global growth, interest rates, fiscal credibility, South Africa’s investment case and the under appreciated risk of El Niño. Read more on www.investec.com/now Key highlights: 00:00 - Introduction 01:34 - Why inflation and interest rates surprised markets 04:26 - Global growth: Resilience amid uncertainty 06:13 - What global trends mean for South Africa 09:10 - South Africa's structural growth challenges 10:46 - Rethinking emerging markets 14:08 - Fiscal policy, debt and investor confidence 18:59 - The biggest global and local risks ahead 22:06 - South Africa's outlook: Risks…
More episodes of Investec Focus Radio SA
- Macro Monday Ep124: AI capex and competition concerns weigh on stock markets
- NOW Ep 131: South Africa’s consumer crunch
- Everything Counts | Episode 51: Managing global travel disruption
- Macro Monday Ep123: Headwinds and tailwinds for global growth
- Macro Monday Ep122: Markets have a good first half of the year
- Everything Counts | Sports Edition wrapped: How athletes turn short careers into long-term wealth
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Investec Focus Radio SA podcast page.