South Africa's Leading Index Falls In December

South Africa's leading index decreased 0.4 percent month-on-month in December, data from the central bank showed Tuesday.

Decreases were recorded in four of the ten components of the index, outweighing the increases recorded in the remaining six.

The 12-month percentage change in the composite leading business cycle indicator was positive at 0.2 percent. The indicator now stood at 132.1 compared to

The major negative contributors to the index were the twelve-month percentage change in job advertisement space and the composite leading business cycle indicator of South Africa's major trading-partner countries.

The largest positive contribution came from the number of residential building plans approved, followed by the twelve-month percentage change in the number of passenger vehicles sold.
The composite coincident business cycle indicator increased 1.1 percent on a monthly basis in November, while the lagging index remained unchanged at previous month's level.