# The Rand Merchant Bank Bureau for Economic Research Business Confidence Index slipped one point to 39 in the third quarter of 2025, following a five-point drop earlier this year. The reading, three points below the long-term average, shows over 60-percent of businesses are unhappy with conditions. RMB’s chief economist, Isaah Mhlanga, says the decline mirrors global trends as economies adjust to shifting political and trade landscapes. Analysts warn current confidence levels remain too low to spur much-needed investment and job growth.
Business Confidence Index drops to 39