South Africa's trade deficit narrows
South Africa's trade deficit narrowed in November from record levels
seen the month before, thanks to a sharp drop in imports, official data
showed.
The deficit narrowed to 7.94 billion rand ($930 million) as imports
of vehicles, aircraft and vessels dropped and labour unrest ebbed,
allowing mining exports to tick up.
The deficit shrank more than 60 percent from October, when a slump in
metals exports led to a shockingly high trade gap.
Mining output had been significantly slowed by a wave of deadly
labour strikes which curbed platinum and gold production.
But in November the export of precious and semi-precious stones and
metals increased by 26 percent.
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