Featured Data Additions, November 26, 2025

ENERGY → Petroleum → Petroleum Product Prices Including Pump Prices → South Africa

Fuel prices for South Africa were added to ENERGY. Prices for petrol, diesel, kerosene and LPG are available for inland and coastal regions. These 7-day daily data are sourced from the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and start in January 2013. The DMRE is the government body responsible for setting and announcing monthly adjustments to the regulated fuel prices which take effect every first Wednesday of the month.

Chart: On the morning of Wednesday, Nov 5th, South Africa’s fuel prices were cut across the board. Inland prices for petroleum-based fuels saw a rather large cut of R0.51c/l, while diesel motorists saw a smaller cut of R0.21c/l. Kerosene and LPG prices were also slashed. Despite a sudden surge in oil prices in late October, a strong month for the rand compared to the US$ helped materialize the price cut.

ANZR → Manufacturing & Trade and Services → Business Performance Indicators

Key industrial economic performance indicators for Australia were added to ANZR. Concepts include Employment, Wages & Salaries, and Sales & Service Income for Australia and its regions. For each, detail is available by specific industry and by industry size. FY data are sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and start in 2010.

Chart: In FY 2024, all states and territories recorded growth in the three indicators for the Total, with the exception of Northern Territory, which recorded a 1.9% decrease in Sales & Service Income. South Australia showed the fastest growth in Sales & Service Income (5.1%), driven by Construction (10.3%) and Wholesale Trade (4.7%). The largest increase in Wages & Salaries was in New South Wales (6.3%). The strongest increase in Employment also occurred in New South Wales (94,000 people, 2.2%).

EMERGELA → Argentina → Manufacturing & Trade → Motor Vehicle Production, Sales, Exports and Imports

Motor vehicle statistics for Argentina were added to EMERGELA. Concepts include production, exports, and sales for passenger cars and utility vehicles. Sales are also broken out into domestic and imports. These monthly data are sourced from Asociacion de Fabricas de Automotores and begin in January 1995.

Chart: October YTD sales in Argentina rose 55.4% YoY, marking the nation’s best performance since 2018. Growth can be attributed to economic stability, greater model availability, promotions, and attractive financing. The removal of a series of tariffs on imports was strongly beneficial to the sector, appealing to foreign brands and increasing imports which increased from a 43% market share in mid-2024 to almost 70% currently.

UK → Employment, Earnings, Productivity & Costs → Alternative Employment Estimates (Resolution Foundation)

Alternative estimates of UK employment were added to the UK database. These series provide insight into the number and rate of people in paid employment, offering a more timely measure of labor market conditions. Estimates are based primarily on HMRC tax data (for employment) and ONS population estimates (for the denominator). Monthly data are sourced from the Resolution Foundation (RF) and start in July 2014.

Chart: The ONS and RF data match up well prior to 2020, but larger differences appear for much of 2021-2024. RF believes the UK employment rate recovered rapidly after the pandemic, returning to pre-pandemic highs – in contrast to LFS trends. But since 2023 the employment rate has been falling, again often contrary to LFS trends. The Aug 2025 RF 16+ employment rate is 61.0% (compared to the LFS’s 60.7% for Jul-Sep). The RF rate falls to 60.8% by Oct 2025 based on ‘flash’ payroll estimates.