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Predictions of an unhappy Christmas for retailers

Predictions of an unhappy Christmas for retailers

End-of-year retail sales will be down by 4% (real) compared to 2008, which was itself down 1% on 2007. Or so says Business Day in an early preview of the Christmas shopping season. The forecast, from Credit Guarantee Insurance Corporation, is backed up by recent retail figures and plain common sense, given increasing joblessness and continued nervousness among consumers. Even a 50 basis-point interest rate cut this week, the maximum expected by a minority of economists, won’t have much impact on sentiment. Read more: Business Day

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The Spy Bill: An autocratic roadmap to State Capture 2.0

Join Heidi Swart in conversation with Anton Harber and Marianne Merten as they discuss a concerning push to pass a controversial “Spy Bill” into law by May 2024. Tues 5 Dec at 12pm, live, online and free of charge.

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