16+ hour, 44+ min ago  (1468+ words) New Zealand's economy is on a "precipice", one economist says, as the country faces increasing pressure as a result of war in Iran. The price of oil has almost doubled from where it was at the start of the year,…...

15+ hour, 33+ min ago  (288+ words) Months' worth of social housing and benefit data haven't been published because of a broken system, and there's no fix in sight. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) usually provides monthly updates, including information like the number of people in…...

4+ day, 13+ hour ago  (287+ words) The increasing use of digital price tags could allow supermarkets to use AI algorithms and 'dynamic pricing' where prices change in real time, a competition researcher says. The government's amendment to the Commerce Act, included increasing the Commerce Commission's powers…...

5+ day, 4+ hour ago  (449+ words) Finance Minister Nicola Willis says the economic impact of the war in the Middle East still isn't clear. Energy prices have spiked because of supply concerns, while financial markets have been spooked by the conflict. The shipping lane in the…...

5+ day, 12+ hour ago  (179+ words) The government's finances are in better than expected shape as spending has fallen while the tax take is steady. Treasury figures, which exclude ACC finances, show a deficit of $6 billion for the seven months ended January, about $1.9b below the December…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago  (545+ words) Another bank has adjusted down its long-term rates, but borrowers deciding whether to take a longer term will need to weigh up a few factors. BNZ said it was reducing its three-year rate by 10 basis points to 4.99 percent, its four-year…...

2+ week, 5+ day ago  (502+ words) Wholesale interest rates have softened a little since the Reserve Bank's Wednesday update, but there is unlikely to be any relief for home loan borrowers. The Reserve Bank kept the Official Cash Rate (OCR) at 2.25 percent but updated its forecast…...

2+ week, 3+ day ago  (621+ words) Households spending more than a third more on utility bills than they did a year ago do not have much money left for fun stuff, Kiwibank economists say. They have released new spending data, which shows a tough end to…...

2+ week, 5+ day ago  (671+ words) New Zealand's unemployment rate is the highest in a decade, but a leading economist is cautiously optimistic about the country's economic outlook There was a feeling of "cautious optimism" at a business breakfast in Auckland this week, after warning signs…...

2+ week, 6+ day ago  (870+ words) The Reserve Bank (RBNZ) has held its benchmark official cash rate (OCR) unchanged at 2.25 percent, saying it needs to get inflation under control, but does not want to upset the economic rebound. The decision was expected and the central bank…...