Loading page content
Data from World Bank. Forecasts by Sigmanomics Forecast Engine.
South AfricaSouth Africa Current account balance (% of GDP) held to -1.63 Percentage of GDP in January 2023
World BankYearlyReleased January 2023
South Africa Current account balance (% of GDP) held to -1.63 Percentage of GDP in January 2023.
Latest Release
-1.63
Latest (2023)
-1.63
Previous
World Bank
Source
Sigmacast Track Record
Sigmacast track record will appear here once this indicator has been released 3+ times since Sigmanomics began tracking.
Sigmacast Σ-direction model: consensus + ½ × mean(surprise, trailing 90d).
CORRELATED SYMBOLS— markets that historically move with this indicator
| Symbol | Direction | Correlation | Asset Class | Co-movement | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD/ZAR | ▼ Inverse | −0.50 | FOREX | Moves against | → View |
| EUR/ZAR | ▼ Inverse | −0.40 | FOREX | Moves against | → View |
| XAU/USD | ▲ Direct | +0.40 | COMMODITIES | Moves with | → View |
| EUR/USD | ▲ Direct | +0.30 | FOREX | Moves with | → View |
| S&P 500 | ▲ Direct | +0.30 | INDEX | Moves with | → View |
Correlation based on 12-month rolling window. Click any symbol to view its Sigmanomics forecast page.
THE RELEASE
Current Account Balance (% of GDP) (South Africa) was reported at -0.42 Percent in December 2025. The reading rose from the previous value of -0.64 Percent. This is classified as a high-impact indicator released on a yearly basis.
WHY IT MATTERS
The indicator has been trending upward over the last three releases. The trailing three releases averaged -0.72 Percent, down from the prior three at 1.83 Percent. In December readings over the past 3 years, Current Account Balance (% of GDP) has averaged -0.72 Percent.
THE MODEL'S TAKE
Historically, this indicator is negatively correlated with USD/ZAR (Bullish ZAR). A secondary relationship exists with XAU/USD, positively correlated (Watch).
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
Same-country events in the next 14 days include Balance of Trade (Aug 28).
Auto-generated from current model state · Refreshes on each release · Last update December 2025.
SHARE
Current account balance (% of GDP) - ZA
Loading chart data...
About Current account balance (% of GDP) — South Africa
DEFINITION
South Africa's Current Account Balance (% of GDP) improved to -0.422767 in 2025 from -0.6428 in 2024, narrowing the deficit. The data for 2025 shows a continued recovery from the deeper shortfall recorded in 2023 at -1.103563. Market focus will remain on how this trend influences the South African Reserve Bank's monetary policy amid global economic uncertainties. Updated 7/1/26
WHY THIS INDICATOR MATTERS
Aggregate growth figures anchor cyclical positioning across asset classes and inform fiscal and monetary policy debate. Surprises against consensus typically move rates and currencies on release. Released annually.
WHAT'S NEXT
Sigmacast's 1-month forecast points to a materially lower reading versus the latest print, with the 3-month outlook reinforcing that direction. Both horizons are aligned bearish for this indicator, suggesting a consistent trend signal. Trend-driven dynamics are the primary headwind in the current projection. This indicator correlates most strongly with USD/ZAR (Bullish ZAR, r=-0.50) — a useful reference for forex-focused traders.
Σ
EXPECTED ZONE
SIGMANOMICS MARKET FORECAST ENGINE
Multi-horizon symbol forecasts, Rolling-Surprise economic predictions, and programmatic API access.
Expected Zones · Trade Bias · Confidence Intervals · API Access · 1,456+ instruments
FOREXCRYPTOSTOCKSCOMMODITIESINDICESAPI
BLSBEAFMPWORLD BANKFRED
1,456+ instruments247 indicators530+ correlationsREST + GQL API
4,151 economic indicators127 countries covered6 data sources
FREDBLSEIAECBBOJFMP
Economic Calendar - ZA Events
| Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | Actual | Previous | Consensus | Sigmanomics Rolling-Surprise Forecast | Impact | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07:00 | ZA | Leading Business Cycle Indicator MoM | -0.3 | -0.5 | 0.80 | Low | |
| Thursday, August 27, 2026 | Actual | Previous | Consensus | Sigmanomics Rolling-Surprise Forecast | Impact | ||
| 09:30 | ZA | Producer Price Index YoY | 7.5 | 7.2 | 8.15 | Low | |
| 09:30 | ZA | Producer Price Index MoM | -0.1 | -0.4 | 0.30 | Low | |