Trade deficit widens

Johannesburg - South Africa's trade deficit widened more than expected to R6.88bn in July, from a R190m shortfall in June, data from the South African Revenue Service showed on Friday.

Economists had expected a R3.2bn gap, but the number is volatile and hard to forecast.

Exports rose 6.8% to R85.37bn and imports increased 14.7% to R92.26bn.

The data brings the cumulative deficit for the year to R55.49bn, compared with -R41.11bn over the same period in 2013.