South Africa's Business Activity Contracts to Weakest Level in 12 Months as December PMI Falls to 47.7
South Africa's Purchasing Managers Index fell to 47.7 in December 2025, marking the weakest performance since January 2024 and signaling sharp contraction in business activity. The decline reflects falling output, new orders, and export sales, with the PMI remaining below the 50.0 growth threshold throughout the final quarter of 2025. Despite the contraction, businesses expressed optimism about recovery prospects in 2026.
Insights:
South Africa's business activity contracted sharply in December 2025, with the Purchasing Managers Index falling to 47.7 from 49.0 in November, marking the weakest performance in 12 months and signaling deteriorating economic conditions as the country entered the new year. The reading, reported on Tuesday, January 6, by S&P Global, confirmed that business activity remained in contraction territory throughout the entire final quarter of 2025, with the PMI remaining below the 50.0 threshold that separates growth from contraction.
