According to the latest data released by Statistics South Africa, in September this year the country's producer price index (PPI) for domestic output in the manufacturing sector decreased four percent compared to the previous month and was up 4.2 percent year on year.
In September, the PPI for domestic sales of South Africa's basic iron and steel industry fell by 5.3 percent compared to August this year and down 3.9 percent compared to September last year. On the other hand, in September this year the PPI for domestic manufacture of metal products increased by one percent over the previous month and was up 5.6 percent year on year.
The PPI for exported basic iron and steel in South Africa in the given month fell three percent compared to the previous month and was down 4.7 percent compared to September 2011, while the PPI for exported metal products increased by 1.5 percent over the previous month and was up 4.6 percent year on year.
Meanwhile, in South Africa the PPI for imported basic iron and steel remained stable on both year-on-year and month-on-month basis, while the PPI for imported metal products increased slightly by 0.1 percent over the previous month and was up 1.2 percent year on year.