Consumer confidence · South Africa
South Africa Consumer Confidence
The South Africa Consumer Confidence measures how households in South Africa feel about their finances, the economy and their plans for big purchases.
- Importance
- Low
- Released
- Quarterly
- Next release
- Currency
- ZAR · South African rand
- Central bank
- The South African Reserve Bank
Latest figures
The latest release for Q3, published on 17 September 2026, came in at -13, up from -19 the time before.
Over the last 7 releases it ranged from -20 to -7, averaging -13.
| Released | For | Actual | Consensus | Previous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Sep 2026 | Q3 | -13 | – | -19 |
| 23 Jun 2026 | Q2 | -19 | – | -7 |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Q1 | -7 | – | -9 |
| 9 Dec 2025 | Q4 | -9 | – | -13 |
| 25 Sep 2025 | Q3 | -13 | – | -10 |
| 26 Jun 2025 | Q2 | -10 | – | -20 |
| 25 Mar 2025 | Q1 | -20 | – | -6 |
Why it matters
Household spending is the largest part of most economies. Confidence surveys come out early in the month and help forecast spending; they also capture inflation worries and political shocks quickly.
How it is calculated
A representative sample of households answers questions on current and expected conditions; answers are combined into a balance (positive minus negative) or an index relative to a base year.
What changes mean
- Confidence and actual spending often diverge in the short run; trends matter more than one month.
- Sharp drops after shocks (energy prices, elections) tend to recover if jobs hold up.
Higher than expected: A stronger figure than expected points to a healthier economy: it usually supports the South African rand and local stocks, and can push bond yields up.
Lower than expected: A weaker figure than expected points to slowing activity: the South African rand tends to soften and markets price in lower rates.
A short history
George Katona started the University of Michigan's Surveys of Consumers in 1946; the European Commission and many national institutes run similar surveys today.
Questions
What is the South Africa Consumer Confidence?
The South Africa Consumer Confidence measures how households in South Africa feel about their finances, the economy and their plans for big purchases.
What was the latest South Africa Consumer Confidence?
-13 for Q3, published on 17 September 2026.
When is the next South Africa Consumer Confidence?
On Friday 4 December 2026.
Educational content only, not investment advice. Figures are the published results as recorded by our calendar; market reactions described are typical, not guaranteed.