The new decade is off to a flying start, and the Infometrics team are gearing up for another dynamic year ahead. This month, as at the start of every year, Chief Forecaster Gareth Kiernan takes time out of his holiday to pen his 2020 edition of From the beach.
This year, Gareth looks at how parts of the global economy have performed in the years since the last economic crisis and examines if Japan’s experience after their 1989 crisis points towards where New Zealand might be headed.
We also outline some of the updates that Infometrics has coming out over the next month or so, including refreshed regional and sector data, and our first forecasts for 2020.
Finally, Brad Olsen highlights some of the important areas to watch in the housing sector this year, noting that 2020 will continues to be dominated by headlines about housing as the election approaches.
Economic growth, inflation, and interest rates around the globe remain significantly lower than they were prior to the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. The limited success of efforts to stimulate the economy over the last 12 years are reminiscent of the Japanese economy’s stagnation during the 1990s. Are other developed economies, including New Zealand, at risk of suffering the same malaise as Japan over the medium-term?
The start of the year is always a busy time for Infometrics. This is when we provide major updates for a range of our services, including our Regional Economic Profiles, Sector Profiles, and release the first forecasts for the year.
Housing looks set to continue dominating headlines in 2020, as house prices look to rally again and rent pressures grow. Who’s got property, who’s paying for property, and how many need property will all be key issues through the year as we build towards another election. But separate from that, the spotlight will keep shining on the housing market as New Zealand’s primary method of wealth creation. With so much money and interest wrapped up in property, here are some of the components to watch in 2020.
