This rebound follows stronger-than-expected economic data and a partial retreat in US-China trade tensions. In the United States, manufacturing and services data for May have both surpassed expectations. The composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI) rose to 52.1 from 50.6 in April, pointing to a continued expansion in economic activity. These…

Food prices rose significantly while energy costs and airfares also surged. These figures indicate growing inflationary pressure across several key sectors. Food prices jumped by 0.8 per cent in April alone, pushing the annual food inflation rate to 3.7 per cent. This surge was largely driven by increases in the…

According to the RBNZ’s latest monthly figures, nearly 60 per cent of new mortgages in March were fixed for one or two years. Specifically, $1.723 billion of the $5.725 billion in new lending was fixed for one year (30.1 per cent). $1.644 billion (28.7 per cent) was fixed for two…

House values are still expected to increase in the second half of the year, but the bank now anticipates a more modest annual rise of 4.5 per cent, down from its previous estimate of 6 per cent. The adjustment follows an analysis of recent housing market trends, which suggest a…

1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025   Inland Revenue (IR) in New Zealand has significantly intensified tax compliance efforts over the past year. According to a report published in April 2025, automated screening systems analysed over three million tax returns in New Zealand, leading to 30,000 reviews. Combined with…

The report results suggest Kiwis are gradually regaining faith in the economic outlook. However, concerns over inflation and broader economic uncertainty continue to linger. The consumer confidence index reflected a notable improvement in sentiment, and the future conditions index rose by four points to 105.2. Meanwhile, the current conditions index…

Despite the increase, inflation remains within the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s (RBNZ) target range of 1 to 3 per cent. According to newly released figures from Stats NZ, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.9 per cent in the March quarter. The annual inflation rate climbed from 2.2 per…

The trigger for the latest surge in market confidence was Trump’s announcement of a 90-day pause on implementing additional tariffs. The pause applied to non-retaliating countries. While the 10 per cent baseline tariff remains in place, this temporary suspension excludes China. Beijing instead saw its tariff rate increase to 125…

Recent data reveals property values rose by 0.5 per cent in March, following smaller gains in preceding months. Declining interest rates and improved affordability have driven this increase. Despite the recent upturn, average property values remain significantly lower than their peak in early 2022. While cities like Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch,…

Data from Dot Loves Data, based on ANZ card transactions, showed that spending priorities changed significantly in the final quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Essentials took precedence, and many Kiwis struggled to manage debt. Payments to debt collection agencies surged by 117 per cent, highlighting…