Stock market return in South Africa

South Africa: Stock market return was 24.0% in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
24.0%
Change on year
up 759.8%
World rank
36th
of 86 countries
All-time high
43.7%
in 2006
All-time low
-13.6%
in 2003
Years of data
26
1996–2021

Stock market return in South Africa, 1996–2021

-20020401996200820211996: 17.7 %, year-on-year1997: 2.6 %, year-on-year1998: -6.7 %, year-on-year1999: 11.8 %, year-on-year2000: 20.7 %, year-on-year2001: 11.5 %, year-on-year2002: 16.7 %, year-on-year2003: -13.6 %, year-on-year2004: 23.9 %, year-on-year2005: 34 %, year-on-year2006: 43.7 %, year-on-year2007: 33.1 %, year-on-year2008: -4.9 %, year-on-year2009: -13.2 %, year-on-year2010: 22.7 %, year-on-year2011: 10.5 %, year-on-year2012: 11.1 %, year-on-year2013: 19 %, year-on-year2014: 17.6 %, year-on-year2015: 5.4 %, year-on-year2016: -0.682 %, year-on-year2017: 6.4 %, year-on-year2018: 2.9 %, year-on-year2019: -0.38 %, year-on-year2020: -3.6 %, year-on-year2021: 24 %, year-on-year

Source: Bloomberg. Measured in %, year-on-year.

Analysis

In 2021, stock market return in South Africa stood at 24.0%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 759.8% on the previous year and up 128.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, stock market return in South Africa peaked at 43.7% in 2006 and was at its lowest, -13.6%, in 2003.

South Africa ranks 36th of 86 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Stock market return in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Stock market return (%, year-on-year) in South Africa, 1996 to 2021.
Year %, year-on-year Change
1996 17.7%
1997 2.6% -85.2%
1998 -6.7% -353.7%
1999 11.8% -277.3%
2000 20.7% +75.0%
2001 11.5% -44.6%
2002 16.7% +45.7%
2003 -13.6% -181.5%
2004 23.9% -275.9%
2005 34.0% +42.0%
2006 43.7% +28.5%
2007 33.1% -24.3%
2008 -4.9% -114.9%
2009 -13.2% +167.9%
2010 22.7% -271.9%
2011 10.5% -53.6%
2012 11.1% +5.2%
2013 19.0% +72.1%
2014 17.6% -7.4%
2015 5.4% -69.3%
2016 -0.7% -112.6%
2017 6.4% -1043.4%
2018 2.9% -54.2%
2019 -0.4% -112.9%
2020 -3.6% +858.3%
2021 24.0% -759.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 6.4% -6.7% 17.7% 4
2000s 15.2% -13.6% 43.7% 10
2010s 9.5% -0.7% 22.7% 10
2020s 10.2% -3.6% 24.0% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 33 Lithuania 25.1% compare
  2. 34 Cyprus 24.9% compare
  3. 35 Israel 24.4% compare
  4. 37 Canada 23.7% compare
  5. 38 Germany 23.7% compare
  6. 39 Japan 22.2% compare

See the full ranking of 86 places →

More financial sector data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is stock market return in South Africa?
Stock market return in South Africa was 24.0% in 2021, according to Bloomberg.
What is the highest stock market return recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 43.7% in 2006.
What is the lowest stock market return recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was -13.6% in 2003.
How does South Africa rank for stock market return?
South Africa ranks 36th out of 86 countries with data for 2021.
Is stock market return rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 128.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Bloomberg, published as part of Stock market return (%, year-on-year). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Stock market return in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Bloomberg. Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://financial-sector.statizoid.com/stat/stock-market-return-percent-year-on-year/south-africa/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://financial-sector.statizoid.com/stat/stock-market-return-percent-year-on-year/south-africa/">Stock market return in South Africa</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Stock market return (%, year-on-year)
Unit
%, year-on-year
Source
Bloomberg
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
86 places, 2,319 data points, 1984–2021
Last refreshed

Stock market return is the growth rate of annual average stock market index. Annual average stock market index is constructed by taking the average of the daily stock market indexes available at Bloomberg.