Here are the key things you need to know before you leave work today (or if you already work from home, before you shutdown your laptop).
MORTGAGE RATE CHANGES
The Police Credit Union raised its fixed rates today. Heartland Bank raised its floating rate to 6.99%, up +24 bps. However it is still well below all of its rivals.
TERM DEPOSIT/SAVINGS RATE CHANGES
NZCU Auckland trimmed their 12 and 18 month term deposit rates.
CHEAPER, LESS DEBT
In the new skinny real estate market, first home buyers are paying less for their homes and taking out smaller mortgages - despite higher interest rates (or maybe because of them).
IN THE TOILET
The latest ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer sentiment survey remains very poor, far worse than in 2008-09 (when people were actually losing their jobs). The proportion of people who believe it is a good time to buy a major household item, a key retail indicator, remains very low. Inflation expectations rose from 5.2% to 5.4%. That’s the highest read in nine months. That won’t please the RBNZ, noted ANZ, though they put more weight on business expectations.
FONTERRA IN OTHER COLOURS
Fonterra's Global Dairy Update reinforces the fact that the Global Dairy Trade auctions are essentially only supported by Fonterra - even though the auction platform has been sold partially sold off. At the last event Fonterra said it sold 25,100 tonnes of product. GDT said at the same event they sold 26,795 tonnes. So almost 94% of all product sold was from Fonterra. Having new owners hasn't yet broadened the auction supply.
FONTERRA COMPLETES SOPROLE SALE
The sale of its Chilean business to Gloria Foods has now been completed.
CUTTING-EDGE TECH
Check out our new in-depth interview on the mitigation technologies that could 'make a big hole' in NZ livestock methane emissions. Gareth Vaughan talks to the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Consortium's Mark Aspin on the journey to reduce methane emissions from farm animals.
FASTER TRACK
The National Party plans to introduce national standards for wind and solar power that will fast-track the consenting process.
HOUSEHOLDS SIGNAL BORROWING STRESS
Growth in mortgage books rose only +3.7% in February from a year ago. You have to go back to 2012 to find a slower expansion. Bank mortgage books grew even slower at +3.6% while non-bank lending rose +10% on the same basis. That tells you something. Also telling is that the long-run fall in personal borrowing has ended at it is expanding again. And its not banks doing that, its non-banks.
MAKING MONEY WORK HARDER
Household deposits grew +5.2% in February from a year ago to almost $228 bln, a rate little-changed in 2023. But that was the slowest rate expansion since October 2021. Transaction account balances slumped -16% to $44 bln, savings account balances fell -5.5% on the same basis. But term deposit balances rose +29% from year-ago levels to a record $108 bln. Households are seeking out all the income they can as they get hit be inflation. But there is still more they could do. TD balances are 47.4% of all household bank account balances. They were 57% in early 2019. Perhaps that suggests there could be as much as another $22 bln that could shift into TD accounts before that earlier benchmark is reached.
BUSINESSES BORROWING MORE
Bank lending to businesses is up +5.7% year-on-year continuing a 20 month expansion run. Lending to the rural sector has turned up in February, growing +1.2% and although that is pretty minor, it is the largest growth in borrowing that that sector has recorded since before the start of the pandemic.
CHINA'S PMIs TURN QUITE POSITIVE
In China, their factory expansion extended to a third straight month, even if it didn't quite rise to the expected level. But according to the official data, their service sector is positively booming. But before accepting those conclusions it is probably best to await the private survey results which are due out on Monday.
JAPAN IMPRESSES
Japan's stats are a different story, accepted as unvarnished. They reported a surprise rise in industrial production in February, far stronger than anticipated. And they reported far better retail sales for February than expected as well. If they keep this up, the world's third largest economy may become a driver of international trends.
LOOKING AHEAD
On Tuesday April 4, the RBA will review its cash rate target. It is widely expected to raise it +25 bps at 3.85% and its highest since 2012. Then on Wednesday April 5, the RBNZ will review its OCR. It is widely expected to raise it by +25 bps to 5.00% and its highest level since 2008. The RBA is unlikely to do anything else, but the RBNZ will also be considering a 0% rise and a +50 bps rise given inflation's lingering habit.
SWAP RATES HOLD
Wholesale swap rates have probably been unchanged today. However, the real action in swap rates comes near the close. Our chart will record the final positions. The 90 day bank bill rate is up another +1 bp at 5.23% and +47 bps above the current OCR. However markets are now pricing in a +25 bps rise at the next RBNZ review on Wednesday. The Australian 10 year bond yield is now at 3.33% and down -2 bps from yesterday. The China 10 year bond rate is little-changed at 2.88%. And the NZ Government 10 year bond rate is now at 4.25%, up another +2 bps and back to being above the earlier RBNZ fix at 4.20% and up +3 bps from yesterday. The UST 10 year yield is now at 3.56% and down -2 bps from this time yesterday.
EQUITIES ENDING THE QUARTER STRONGLY
The NZX50 is down -0.4% near the end of trade today but if that holds it will be up +2.6% for the week, its best weekly gain for 2023. In Australia where the ASX200 is now up +0.7% in afternoon trade and heading for a strong +3.1% weekly rise. Tokyo has opened its Friday trade up +1.0% and heading for a +2.1% weekly rise. Hong Kong is up +1.6% in very early trade on track to post a strong +3.9% weekly gain. Shanghai has opened up +0.4% and the weakest of the markets we follow. Their weekly gain may only be +0.4% as well. Earlier, Wall Street closed its Thursday session with the S&P500 up +0.6%. So far this week it is up +2.0%
GOLD UP
In early Asian trade, gold is up +US$22 from this time yesterday, now at US$1981/oz and very similar to the New York close. London closed earlier at US$1966/oz..
NZD FIRM AGAINST ALLCOMERS
The Kiwi dollar has risen +¾c today, now at 62.8 USc. Against the Aussie we are up +¼c at 93.4 AUc. And against the euro we are firm at 57.5 euro cents. That means the TWI-5 is now at 70.6 and up +50 bps.
BITCOIN HOLDS
The bitcoin price has slipped very marginally from this time yesterday, now at US$28,294 down a mere -0.1% in a day. Volatility has been moderate however at +/-2.6%.
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