Here are the key things you need to know before you leave work today.
MORTGAGE RATE CHANGES
No changes here today.
TERM DEPOSIT RATE CHANGES
SBS Bank has trimmed most TD rates for terms between 3 months and 18 months.
WORST EVER
Yesterday we reported the -90% dive in new car sales. Today we can update, that used import sales also fell just as hard. Only 622 used imports were sold in April, presumable in the few days of L3 lockdown at the end of the month. That is -94% lower than the 10,883 sold in April 2019.
IRRELEVANTLY UP
QV reported its April data today, but they also dismissed its relevance because there are insufficient transactions to draw meaningful conclusions.
IRRELEVANTLY STABLE
Statistics New Zealand says unemployment edged up to 4.2% at the end of the March quarter from 4% previously. That's all irrelevant now.
RENTS UNDER ATTACK
Rents in major shopping malls are being slashed in half. The outlook is grim for owners of shopping malls and even grimmer for mum and dad investors with small suburban retail premises. Diving rents undermine valuations and pressure cash flows in the extreme, especially for recent owners.
OPTIMISTS
The RBNZ released its economic scenarios ahead of much-anticipated Monetary Policy Statement due next Wednesday. They took a more upbeat view than Treasury, but did note that even at Level 1, international tourism will be reduced to barely 10% of normal activity.
LESS IS MORE?
"Everyone knows" that using cash for transactions is dangerous in a viral pandemic. But the RBNZ has reported that there has been a huge rise in demand for banknotes. David Hargreaves tried to reconcile the two trends.
BEING SAVED BY THE CHINA TRADE
Statistics NZ is tracking our goods trade flows daily during the pandemic lockdown and comparing it to the same period a year ago. For the latest reviewed week to April 29, total exports to all countries were up +3.3% (+$38 mln), to $1.18 bln, total imports from all countries were down -28%(-$331 mln), to $834 mln, exports to China were up +20% (+$56 mln), to $333 mln, and imports from China were up +4.5% (+$10 mln), to $232 mln.
HOLDING ON
Somewhat surprisingly, dairy prices were basically unchanged at the regular auction today with WMP and SMP prices firming and butter and cheese lower. Volumes sold were near seasonal lows.
SETBACK FOR ANZ IN ROSS ASSET MANAGEMENT CASE
ANZ has failed to have a claim brought against the bank by victims of David Ross' Ross Asset Management (RAM) Ponzi scheme struck out. ANZ, which was RAM's bank, argued none of the claims were reasonably arguable, and any claims for losses suffered before 1 June 2010 had been brought too late and could not be claimed. The Court can only strike out the claim if it is so untenable that it cannot succeed. The Court declined to strike out the claim. The investors allege ANZ is liable for assisting David Ross’ breach of trust, for receiving a benefit from his breach of trust and for negligence. About 700 investors suffered losses of about $115 million when RAM was exposed as a Ponzi scheme in 2012.
LOCAL UPDATE
There are 1488 Covid-19 cases identified in New Zealand, with two new cases today, up from zero yesterday. One probable and one confirmed cases were reported. Twenty-one people have died, +1 from yesterday, almost all geriatric patients. There are just two people left in hospital with the disease (-2), and none are in ICU. Our recovery rate is now up over 88% and still rising.
AUSTRALIA UPDATE
In Australia, there are now 6849 cases (+24 since yesterday), 96 deaths (+1) and a stable recovery rate of just under 86%. 66 people are in hospital there (-4) with 27 in ICU (-1).
GLOBAL UPDATE
The latest compilation of Covid-19 data is here. The global tally is now 3,662,100 and up +79,600 from this time yesterday which is an unchanged level of growth. Now, just under 33% of all cases globally are in the US, which is up +23,600 since this time yesterday taking the total to 1,203,900 and the only country to exceed 1 mln cases. This is a stable level of increase. US deaths now exceed 71,000. Global deaths are about to exceed 257,000. In Brazil, Russia and India there is an acceleration of infection being reported and the underlying dodgy data will build fear quickly.
HIGH CORE FUNDING RATIO
Going into the lockdown, the March bank core funding ratio was at 88.3%, higher than at any time in 2019 and near its highest (best) ever (The actual best-ever was 88.8% in April 2018.)
RISKY BEHAVIOUR
Aussie regulator ASIC's analysis of local equity markets during the COVID-19 period has revealed a substantial increase in retail activity across the securities market, as well as greater exposure to risk. "We found that some retail investors are engaging in short term trading strategies unsuccessfully attempting to time price trends." Something similar is happening in New Zealand with the NZX flooded with small transactions largely via the Sharsies platform.
SECURITISATION CASUALTIES?
Fitch Ratings has place three of five Fleet Partners NZ lease contract securitisation lines on "Outlook Negative". Who holds these types of instruments? Probably fund managers who tried to juice up their fixed income returns.
WATER STORAGE UPDATES
Hydro lake inflows have picked up and are now back at normal levels. Auckland drinking water storage has picked up from 44% last week to 46% and rising, but still well below the normal 77% at this time of year.
EQUITY UPDATE
The NZX50 Capital Index is up strongly today, up +0.9% so far and getting back to levels we had at the end of April. The ASX200 is down -0.7% today. Shanghai is open again and in early trade it is off marginally, down -0.2%. Last night the S&P500 ended its daily session up +0.9% after Europe's very strog rises that were north of +2%.
SWAP RATES UPDATE
Yesterday, wholesale swap rates firmed in a minor way. We don't have wholesale swap rates movement details today yet. We will update this later in the day if they show a significant change. The 90-day bank bill rate is back down -1 bp to 0.26%. The Aussie Govt 10yr is up +4 bps at 0.90%. The China Govt 10yr is up +3 bps to 2.55%. The NZ Govt 10 yr yield has turned sharply higher, up +9 bps to 0.67%. The UST 10yr has firmed slightly today to 0.66%, a +3 bps rise.
NZ DOLLAR HOLDS
The Kiwi dollar has changed little today, still at 60.6 USc. Against the Aussie we are holding at 94.2 AUc. Against the euro we are quite firm at 55.9 euro cents. That means the TWI-5 is pretty much unchanged today at 66.6.
BITCOIN FIRM
The price of Bitcoin is up another +1.8% from this time yesterday to US$8,994. The bitcoin price is charted in the currency set below.
This soil moisture chart is animated here.
The easiest place to stay up with event risk today is by following our Economic Calendar here ».

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