The Reserve Bank has kept the repo rate unchanged at 5% per annum, it said on Thursday.

The movements of the rand, which has to date weakened to a four-year low against the US dollar, are slightly exaggerated, says Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Daniel Mminele

RETAIL sales accelerated much more than expected in February, suggesting that the expected slowdown in consumer spending may not be as severe as feared and lifting gloom over the growth outlook.

The Reserve Bank has done well to balance economic growth and the need to create jobs in its policy decisions, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said.

The Reserve Bank will continue to build up South Africa’s level of reserves -- which are low compared to the country’s peers -- when market conditions are conducive.

The Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has kept the repo rate unchanged at 5%, Reserve Bank Governor Gill Marcus said on Wednesday.

"The monetary policy stance remains accommodative and appropriate, with the real policy rate remaining slightly negative. Further accommodation at this stage is constrained by the upside risks to the inflation outlook.

In light of the pessimistic economic outlook, it is important to look for good quality equity and listed property shares that have strong dividend/distribution payment histories, attractive current yields and are going to grow the dividend/distribution income stream in the future.

"Headline CPI (for all urban areas) annual inflation rate in September 2012 was 5.5%. This rate was 0.5% higher than the corresponding annual rate of 5% in August 2012," said Stats SA.

For the six months ended 29 February 2012 and on a comparable recurring income basis, a total distribution growth of 6.6% on the prior period occurred