A deteriorating economic climate continues to make life difficult for regional economies, according to Infometrics’ latest monitoring of regional economies. The March 2024 Infometrics Quarterly Economic Monitor suggests that economic activity in the first three months of 2024 was 0.3%pa higher than ... Read

Supplier cost increases to supermarkets slowed further in April, but costs are still rising, with the Infometrics-Foodstuffs New Zealand Read

New Zealanders are out exploring the world again, in large numbers. Those travels are easy to see, with scores of young Kiwis documenting their overseas trips across social media. Principal Economist, Brad Olsen, asks the question – how many Kiwis are travelling, and where’s the most popular spot? Read

New analysis from Infometrics, first released to Infometrics clients last week, shows that returning the GST charged on local council rates back to councils would cost the government $1.1b. This amount of money would then be available for local councils to help fund the services and investments bein... Read

Principal Economist, Brad Olsen, examines rising local government costs. With expectations that rates rises in 2024 will be the largest since local council reforms in 1989... Read

The annual increase in the average cost of goods that suppliers charge supermarkets has slowed further, with the Infometrics-Foodstuffs New Zealand Read

High inflation in recent years has prompted much discussion about how households are adjusting their spending to cope. Although wages have been increasing too, meaning that households can also afford more, we haven’t had a clear idea of the changing preferences and priorities that dictate what households are spending more or less on. Read

The annual average increase in the cost of goods suppliers charged supermarkets is now at its slowest since the end of 2021. Costs are still rising – just at a much less intense pace than a year ago. The Infometrics-Foodstuffs New Zealand Read

Still too-high inflation and considerably higher interest rates are combining to constrain economic activity across New Zealand, according to Infometrics’ latest monitoring of regional economies. Read

Migration has become a hot topic over the last year, with a record high net migration gain. This large inflow of people into New Zealand has seen the population increase by 145,000 people once births and deaths are accounted for – slightly more than adding an additional Dunedin over the last year. Read