Mark Smith
Stats NZ figures show that retail card spending fell a seasonally-adjusted 1.8% in February after a bounce in activity in January
12th Mar 24, 11:49am
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Stats NZ figures show that retail card spending fell a seasonally-adjusted 1.8% in February after a bounce in activity in January
Reserve Bank policymakers will be weighing up various measures of inflation as they begin committee deliberations
18th Feb 24, 6:00am
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Reserve Bank policymakers will be weighing up various measures of inflation as they begin committee deliberations
[updated]
Stats NZ says food prices rose 0.9% in January, while rents for new tenancies shot up 2.5%, and tobacco prices increased 6.4% - but airfares went into reverse
14th Feb 24, 11:25am
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Stats NZ says food prices rose 0.9% in January, while rents for new tenancies shot up 2.5%, and tobacco prices increased 6.4% - but airfares went into reverse
[updated]
Influential RBNZ survey shows a decisive drop in the expectation of future levels of inflation in a result that will give the RBNZ comfort ahead of its next Official Cash Rate decision
13th Feb 24, 3:35pm
20
Influential RBNZ survey shows a decisive drop in the expectation of future levels of inflation in a result that will give the RBNZ comfort ahead of its next Official Cash Rate decision
ASB economists assess the key risks in the year ahead - there's plenty
Overall inflation direction encouraging but bank economists cautious about stubborn non-tradeable inflation
14th Dec 23, 7:40am
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Overall inflation direction encouraging but bank economists cautious about stubborn non-tradeable inflation
ASB economists estimate that average household living costs will have increased by about $115 a week in 2023 - and with a further $70 hike to come next year, but income rises will probably beat that
7th Dec 23, 10:30am
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ASB economists estimate that average household living costs will have increased by about $115 a week in 2023 - and with a further $70 hike to come next year, but income rises will probably beat that
Economists say the Reserve Bank will be wary of survey results that show shorter term inflation expectations have fallen but longer term expectations for both inflation and interest rates have risen
9th Nov 23, 9:07am
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Economists say the Reserve Bank will be wary of survey results that show shorter term inflation expectations have fallen but longer term expectations for both inflation and interest rates have risen
Food prices virtually unchanged on a seasonally adjusted basis in the past month, taking the annual rate of food price inflation down to 8.0%, according to Stats NZ
12th Oct 23, 11:13am
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Food prices virtually unchanged on a seasonally adjusted basis in the past month, taking the annual rate of food price inflation down to 8.0%, according to Stats NZ
More economists are seeing a likelihood that the Reserve Bank will not start cutting the Official Cash Rate till 2025
9th Oct 23, 2:36pm
15
More economists are seeing a likelihood that the Reserve Bank will not start cutting the Official Cash Rate till 2025
Economists are cheered by signs the Reserve Bank's monetary tightening is getting traction but caution that inflationary pressures are still strong
3rd Oct 23, 2:01pm
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Economists are cheered by signs the Reserve Bank's monetary tightening is getting traction but caution that inflationary pressures are still strong
Reserve Bank leaves Official Cash Rate unchanged at 5.50% but says interest rates need to remain at a restrictive level for some time
16th Aug 23, 2:18pm
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Reserve Bank leaves Official Cash Rate unchanged at 5.50% but says interest rates need to remain at a restrictive level for some time
ASB economists say the current influx of migrants doesn't appear to be adding significantly to demand pressures in the economy - but it is easing the country's labour market shortages
26th Jun 23, 2:18pm
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ASB economists say the current influx of migrants doesn't appear to be adding significantly to demand pressures in the economy - but it is easing the country's labour market shortages
[updated]
Food prices up 12.5% in the year to April 2023 - the highest annual rate of increase seen since 1987; National's Willis says household budgets have 'nowhere to hide'
11th May 23, 10:58am
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Food prices up 12.5% in the year to April 2023 - the highest annual rate of increase seen since 1987; National's Willis says household budgets have 'nowhere to hide'
Statistics New Zealand says the unemployment rate remained the same in the March quarter, while there were 22,000 jobs added, the labour force participation rate hit a new high and private sector ordinary hourly wage growth rose to 8.2%
3rd May 23, 11:04am
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Statistics New Zealand says the unemployment rate remained the same in the March quarter, while there were 22,000 jobs added, the labour force participation rate hit a new high and private sector ordinary hourly wage growth rose to 8.2%
[updated]
Food prices surged at an annual rate of 12% in February with rises across all the broad food categories Statistics NZ measures
13th Mar 23, 11:53am
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Food prices surged at an annual rate of 12% in February with rises across all the broad food categories Statistics NZ measures
Stats NZ says food prices were up 10.3% in the year to January 2023 - which is down on the 32-year high increase of 11.3% seen as at December
14th Feb 23, 11:08am
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Stats NZ says food prices were up 10.3% in the year to January 2023 - which is down on the 32-year high increase of 11.3% seen as at December
[updated]
Statistics New Zealand says the unemployment rate has risen to 3.4% from 3.3%; it was widely expected to fall; private sector hourly wage growth has slowed to 8.1% from 8.6% when it was expected to rise: BNZ economists change OCR call
1st Feb 23, 11:01am
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Statistics New Zealand says the unemployment rate has risen to 3.4% from 3.3%; it was widely expected to fall; private sector hourly wage growth has slowed to 8.1% from 8.6% when it was expected to rise: BNZ economists change OCR call
[updated]
Stats NZ says the seasonally adjusted spending fall in December was the first for nine months and was a 'large' fall for a December month; economists say consumers have taken on board Reserve Bank warnings about spending
18th Jan 23, 11:00am
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Stats NZ says the seasonally adjusted spending fall in December was the first for nine months and was a 'large' fall for a December month; economists say consumers have taken on board Reserve Bank warnings about spending
[updated]
National's finance spokesperson scalds Government after long-running NZIER business survey records the weakest result in its history; ASB economists say economy has 'run into a brick wall'; BNZ economists see 'stagflation on steroids'
17th Jan 23, 10:23am
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National's finance spokesperson scalds Government after long-running NZIER business survey records the weakest result in its history; ASB economists say economy has 'run into a brick wall'; BNZ economists see 'stagflation on steroids'
[updated]
Despite seasonal falls in fruit and vegetable prices, the annual rate of food price inflation increased to 10.7% in November; it's a crisis at the checkout, says National Party
13th Dec 22, 11:08am
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Despite seasonal falls in fruit and vegetable prices, the annual rate of food price inflation increased to 10.7% in November; it's a crisis at the checkout, says National Party
[updated]
Searing domestic inflation has the financial markets now picking a 75-point rise to the Official Cash Rate from the Reserve Bank next month and a peak OCR of over 5%
18th Oct 22, 11:01am
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Searing domestic inflation has the financial markets now picking a 75-point rise to the Official Cash Rate from the Reserve Bank next month and a peak OCR of over 5%
ASB economists say there is likely 'more upside' to wholesale interest rates, while the odds of an economic 'soft landing' are shrinking
17th Oct 22, 2:23pm
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ASB economists say there is likely 'more upside' to wholesale interest rates, while the odds of an economic 'soft landing' are shrinking
Latest NZIER Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion suggests that shortages for both skilled and unskilled labour are easing from the historically high levels of the past year
4th Oct 22, 10:31am
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Latest NZIER Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion suggests that shortages for both skilled and unskilled labour are easing from the historically high levels of the past year
ASB economists say even if the Official Cash Rate is cut in 2024, average borrowing costs are unlikely to move lower until 2025
21st Sep 22, 11:37am
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ASB economists say even if the Official Cash Rate is cut in 2024, average borrowing costs are unlikely to move lower until 2025