The balance on the current account of the balance of payments widened substantially to the second largest surplus ever recorded of R267 billion in the first quarter of 2021, advancing from R198 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020. As a ratio of gross domestic product (GDP), the current account surplus widened to 5.0% in the first quarter of 2021 from 3.7% in the preceding quarter. South Africa’s exports and imports of goods increased further in the first quarter of 2021, consistent with the continued recovery in global and domestic economic activity. South Africa’s trade surplus widened from R425 billion in the ... (full story)