Articles

The spike in fuel prices over the last month, since the Iran war started, has reignited significant inflationary concerns across the economy, not least across the construction industry.

Delivering water services in New Zealand is becoming materially more expensive, and the gap between water costs and general inflation continues to widen.

Diesel has emerged as the critical pressure point in New Zealand’s current fuel shock, posing a far greater risk to economic activity than other refined products due to its dominant role across transport, agriculture, and heavy industry.

Local government funding is under growing scrutiny, as rising costs, shifting revenue streams, and potential policy changes force councils to rethink how they pay for services.

New Zealand is facing a growing economic risk as tightening diesel supply intersects with sharply rising fuel prices, creating a dual shock that is beginning to ripple across industries.

Following Heinz Wattie's announcement to close its manufacturing facilities in Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin, we look at fruit and vegetable processing and the broader food and beverage processing industry in New Zealand.

The pace of supplier cost increases to Foodstuffs supermarkets in February was in line with last month, with the Infometrics-Foodstuffs New Zealand Grocery Supplier Cost Index (GSCI) showing an average 2.3% increase in what suppliers charged in February 2026, compared to a year earlier.

We have recently updated our detailed forecasts of industry and regional economic activity and employment for the next five years.

Major conflict has broken out in the Middle East, following Israeli and US airstrikes against Iran, and followed by retaliation by Iran against both countries, as well as others in the region.

Cost pressures for the transport industry remained mixed in the December 2025 quarter, with decreasing costs for some inputs but continued pressure across other categories.