Economy on recession cliff edge

Recently released quarter-on-quarter (qoq) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data suggests the economy has slipped into a technical recession. Although economists usually shun using the ‘prejudicial’ qoq indicators, as they can be heavily influenced by short-term volatility and therefore fail to capture seasonal factors, it is irrefutable that the economy is caught up in global headwinds and the probability of skidding into a real recession when annualised year-on-year (yoy) figures are unveiled end of March is high. In this broad interview, BusinessWeek’s BRIAN BENZA prods First National Bank of Botswana (FNBB) Research Manager, Moatlhodi Sebabole for his views on the current state of the economy, the likelihood of the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) saving the day and the potential key drivers of growth.