Articles

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.

Eighteen months ago in August 2024, the Government introduced a traffic light system and new sanctions for beneficiaries who do not meet their obligations. Here we look at how the number of benefit sanctions has changed since the measures were introduced, unpack which groups are over-represented in the sanctions numbers, and discuss whether the policy has worked.

Buried amongst the numerous post-census data releases is a low profile yet critical release – the post enumeration survey (PES). From the PES, Stats NZ revises their historical population estimates.

Freight volumes provide one of the clearest real-time signals of activity in the New Zealand economy.

Freight volumes provide one of the clearest real-time signals of activity in the New Zealand economy.

The housing market had a soft-ish finish to 2025, with stock levels still elevated, monthly sales roughly in line with the average of the last year, and prices down 0.4% since the end of 2024.

After two years of sluggish activity, households under pressure, and repeatedly deferred expectations of recovery, 2026 is shaping up as a pivotal year for the New Zealand economy.

A stream of end-of-year data coming through shows, on the surface, a generally more upbeat view of the economy.