About
A senior journalist and news editor with interest.co.nz, David Hargreaves has covered financial markets and economics both in New Zealand and Britain for longer than he cares to mention.
David Hargreaves
Latest articles
Dairy co-operative Fonterra raises its milk price for farmers by an implied 30 cents to $7.80 per kilogram of milk solids - meaning the early season slump in prices has been almost completely reversed
12th Feb 24, 9:13am
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Dairy co-operative Fonterra raises its milk price for farmers by an implied 30 cents to $7.80 per kilogram of milk solids - meaning the early season slump in prices has been almost completely reversed
Latest Reserve Bank figures indicate New Zealand's home owner-occupiers are increasingly focusing on shorter term fixed mortgage rates - presumably in the assumption that rates will come down sooner rather than later
8th Feb 24, 3:51pm
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Latest Reserve Bank figures indicate New Zealand's home owner-occupiers are increasingly focusing on shorter term fixed mortgage rates - presumably in the assumption that rates will come down sooner rather than later
Forsyth Barr analysts say Fletcher Building has now made $420 million worth of provisions on the convention centre project in the past 12 months and the latest ones 'bring into question management controls and board oversight'
8th Feb 24, 9:13am
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Forsyth Barr analysts say Fletcher Building has now made $420 million worth of provisions on the convention centre project in the past 12 months and the latest ones 'bring into question management controls and board oversight'
Westpac economists react to the latest dairy prices surge by raising their forecast for the milk price to $7.90 - which is close to the top end of Fonterra's forecast guidance range to farmers
7th Feb 24, 2:11pm
Westpac economists react to the latest dairy prices surge by raising their forecast for the milk price to $7.90 - which is close to the top end of Fonterra's forecast guidance range to farmers
David Hargreaves looks at the 'inevitable' discussion we are about to have as to whether it's still the right economic approach to just target low inflation at all costs
6th Feb 24, 6:00am
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David Hargreaves looks at the 'inevitable' discussion we are about to have as to whether it's still the right economic approach to just target low inflation at all costs
Labour market figures out in the coming week tipped to show unemployment rising from the last recorded 3.9% rate to 4.2% or higher
4th Feb 24, 6:01am
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Labour market figures out in the coming week tipped to show unemployment rising from the last recorded 3.9% rate to 4.2% or higher
Stats NZ says its household living-cost price indexes show that all household groups in the country faced higher cost increases in the 2023 year than the 4.7% indicated by the CPI, the official measure of inflation
1st Feb 24, 11:16am
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Stats NZ says its household living-cost price indexes show that all household groups in the country faced higher cost increases in the 2023 year than the 4.7% indicated by the CPI, the official measure of inflation
Latest RBNZ figures show non-performing housing loans rose by 78.5% in the past year - but the stress levels are still much lower than they were after the global financial crisis
1st Feb 24, 9:23am
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Latest RBNZ figures show non-performing housing loans rose by 78.5% in the past year - but the stress levels are still much lower than they were after the global financial crisis
Adrian Orr will give a keynote speech to a high-powered economic forum ahead of the Reserve Bank's first Official Cash Rate decision of the year
31st Jan 24, 2:27pm
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Adrian Orr will give a keynote speech to a high-powered economic forum ahead of the Reserve Bank's first Official Cash Rate decision of the year
'Overall, businesses expect the worst is past. Although the medicine has been bitter, it’s working'
31st Jan 24, 1:26pm
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'Overall, businesses expect the worst is past. Although the medicine has been bitter, it’s working'
David Hargreaves dives back through from the start of detailed mortgage figures the Reserve Bank has now been producing for 9 years to show a picture of burgeoning first home buyer involvement and mostly shrinking investor participation
31st Jan 24, 11:44am
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David Hargreaves dives back through from the start of detailed mortgage figures the Reserve Bank has now been producing for 9 years to show a picture of burgeoning first home buyer involvement and mostly shrinking investor participation
Latest RBNZ figures show first home buyers picked up over a quarter of the new mortgage monies advanced in December - although it was a slow month overall
30th Jan 24, 11:20am
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Latest RBNZ figures show first home buyers picked up over a quarter of the new mortgage monies advanced in December - although it was a slow month overall
Statistics New Zealand figures show household net worth increased by $5.3 billion in the September 2023 quarter, while savings rates remained steady
25th Jan 24, 11:35am
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Statistics New Zealand figures show household net worth increased by $5.3 billion in the September 2023 quarter, while savings rates remained steady
David Hargreaves wonders whether the belated introduction of debt-to-income ratio controls will be a case of better-late-than-never, or whether they've already missed the proverbial bus
24th Jan 24, 9:59am
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David Hargreaves wonders whether the belated introduction of debt-to-income ratio controls will be a case of better-late-than-never, or whether they've already missed the proverbial bus
With new figures this week likely to show our inflation rate falling meaningfully, economists are nevertheless concerned about the potential for for further inflationary disruptions
22nd Jan 24, 3:05pm
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With new figures this week likely to show our inflation rate falling meaningfully, economists are nevertheless concerned about the potential for for further inflationary disruptions
Economic data in the coming week is likely to show inflation is slowing. But the key thing will be whether the Reserve Bank is satisfied that the inflation beast really has been properly tamed - or whether we still have things to worry about
21st Jan 24, 6:00am
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Economic data in the coming week is likely to show inflation is slowing. But the key thing will be whether the Reserve Bank is satisfied that the inflation beast really has been properly tamed - or whether we still have things to worry about
ANZ economists don't believe the RBNZ will give warning of when it is going to cut the Official Cash Rate and that it will be a case of 'deny-deny-deny-cut' to avoid premature easing in financial conditions
18th Jan 24, 4:08pm
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ANZ economists don't believe the RBNZ will give warning of when it is going to cut the Official Cash Rate and that it will be a case of 'deny-deny-deny-cut' to avoid premature easing in financial conditions
[updated]
Stats NZ says food prices fell in December for the fourth consecutive month, taking the annual rate of food price inflation down to 4.8% compared with the peak level of 12.5% seen earlier in 2023; airfares skyrocket; rents keep pushing up
18th Jan 24, 11:01am
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Stats NZ says food prices fell in December for the fourth consecutive month, taking the annual rate of food price inflation down to 4.8% compared with the peak level of 12.5% seen earlier in 2023; airfares skyrocket; rents keep pushing up
Stats NZ figures show that retail card spending fell a seasonally-adjusted 2.0% in December
17th Jan 24, 12:23pm
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Stats NZ figures show that retail card spending fell a seasonally-adjusted 2.0% in December
Latest Reserve Bank figures indicate that New Zealand's home owner-occupiers appear to be betting that interest rates will start coming down again sooner rather than later
17th Jan 24, 11:05am
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Latest Reserve Bank figures indicate that New Zealand's home owner-occupiers appear to be betting that interest rates will start coming down again sooner rather than later
The BNZ/SEEK Employment Report shows that the number of applications per job advertisement has now hit unprecedented levels
16th Jan 24, 11:03am
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The BNZ/SEEK Employment Report shows that the number of applications per job advertisement has now hit unprecedented levels
The Reserve Bank's chief economist will be speaking on economic developments a month before the first scheduled OCR announcement for the year in a move clearly aimed at guiding the markets after December's shock GDP fall
16th Jan 24, 9:54am
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The Reserve Bank's chief economist will be speaking on economic developments a month before the first scheduled OCR announcement for the year in a move clearly aimed at guiding the markets after December's shock GDP fall
ASB economists assess the key risks in the year ahead - there's plenty
The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey shows that inflation expectations have fallen but pricing intentions have risen; the post-election rise in business confidence has continued
19th Dec 23, 1:33pm
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The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey shows that inflation expectations have fallen but pricing intentions have risen; the post-election rise in business confidence has continued
ASB's latest housing confidence survey shows that for the first time in 18 months more Kiwis are expecting house prices to rise than fall; ASB economists say 'it's an important watershed'
19th Dec 23, 11:14am
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ASB's latest housing confidence survey shows that for the first time in 18 months more Kiwis are expecting house prices to rise than fall; ASB economists say 'it's an important watershed'