Manufacturing output in South Africa increased by 0.5% year-on-year in May 2025, marking a turnaround from a revised 6.4% slump in April and snapping a six-month losing streak. Analysts had expected a 1.5% decline. The biggest boost came from the basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products, and machinery division, which expanded by 4.3% (vs -6.5% in April) and contributed 0.9 percentage points to overall output. Additional support came from the glass and non-metallic mineral products sector (+4.2% vs 2%); wood and wood products, paper, publishing and printing (+3.1% vs -0.6%) and textiles, clothing, leather and footwear (+1.7% vs -4.3%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, industrial output rose by 2%, after a downwardly revised 1.7% increase in the prior month. Manufacturing production fell by 0.3% in the three months ended May 2025 compared with the previous three months.