adplus-dvertising
Connect with us

Economy

NZ Economy Grew Twice as Much as Forecast in Third Quarter

Published

 on

(Bloomberg) — New Zealand’s economy grew more than twice as much as economists expected in the third quarter, underscoring the difficulty the central bank faces in trying to damp demand to curb inflation.

Gross domestic product jumped 2.0% from the second quarter, when it gained an upwardly revised 1.9%, Statistics New Zealand said Thursday in Wellington. Economists forecast a 0.9% increase. From a year ago, the economy expanded 6.4%, exceeding the median estimate of 5.5%.

The data are “stupendously strong,” said Nat Keall, an economist at ASB Bank in Auckland. “The starting point for economic activity is substantially hotter than the RBNZ will have anticipated as it embarks on the remainder of the tightening cycle.”

The Reserve Bank is aiming to engineer a recession in 2023 to suppress demand and rein in inflation. Last month it stepped up its already aggressive interest-rate increases with a record 75 basis-point hike and said it would raise the Official Cash Rate, currently at 4.25%, to 5.5% next year.

300x250x1

The New Zealand dollar was little changed after today’s GDP release. It bought 64.58 US cents at 10:51 a.m. in Wellington. Ten-year government bond yields rose.

The RBNZ had forecast 0.8% growth for the third quarter.

The statistics agency said growth was primarily driven by services industries such as transport, which was boosted by the full reopening of the border during the quarter.

Bounce Back

Covid-19 swept the entire country for the first time at the start of 2022, triggering a contraction in the first quarter, but the economy bounced back strongly after that.

Annual inflation accelerated to 7.3% in the second quarter and eased less than expected to 7.2% in the third. Near record-low unemployment of 3.3% is fueling demand and driving up wages, adding to inflationary pressures.

Still, house prices are falling and the full impact of surging mortgage rates has yet to be felt.

Some 50% of mortgage books are yet to roll over, and some borrowers will reset from 2.5% to 6.5%, RBNZ Deputy Governor Christian Hawkesby said yesterday. Despite that, the central bank has “more work to do” to rein in inflation, he said.

The Treasury Department yesterday joined the RBNZ in predicting a 2023 recession. Both see it starting in the second quarter, with Treasury projecting three quarters of contraction and the RBNZ four.

Other details

The third-quarter expansion was led services industries, which grew 2%, the statistics agency said.

  • Transport, postal and warehousing was biggest contributor, rising 9.7% from the second quarter
  • Manufacturing output rose 0.1%
  • Construction rose 5.1%
  • Primary industries fell 0.2%
  • Household spending fell 0.1%
  • Retail trade and accommodation fell 0.7%
  • Exports rose 7.8%, led by dairy, travel services and meat
  • GDP per capita gained 1.9%

(Updates with economist’s comment in third paragraph)

Source link

Continue Reading

Economy

Japanese government maintains view that economy is in moderate recovery – ForexLive

Published

 on


300x250x1

Adblock test (Why?)

728x90x4

Source link

Continue Reading

Economy

Can falling interest rates improve fairness in the economy? – The Globe and Mail

Published

 on


The ‘poor borrower’ narrative rules in media coverage of the Bank of Canada and high interest rates, and that’s appropriate.

A lot of people have been financially slammed by the rate hikes of the past couple of years, which have made it much more expensive to carry a mortgage, lines of credit and other borrowing. The latest from the Bank of Canada suggests rate cuts will come as soon as this summer, which on the whole would be a welcome development. It’s not just borrowers who need relief – the boarder economy has slowed to a crawl because of high borrowing costs.

But high rates are also a big win for some people. Specifically, those who have little or no debt and who have a significant amount of money sitting in savings products and guaranteed investment certificates. The country’s most well-off people, in other words.

300x250x1

Lower rates will mean diminished returns for savers and less interest paid by borrowers. It’s a stretch to say lower rates will improve financial inequality, but they do add a little more fairness to our financial system.

Wealth inequality is often presented as the chasm between well-off people able to pay for houses, vehicles, trips and high-end restaurant meals and those who are driving record use of food banks and living in tent cities. High interest rates and inflation have given us more nuance in wealth inequality. People fortunate enough to have bought houses in recent years are staggering as they try to manage mortgage payments that have risen by hundreds of dollars a month. You can see their struggles in rising numbers of late payments and debt defaults.

Rates are expected to fall in a measured, gradual way, which means their impact on financial inequality won’t be an instant gamechanger. But if the Bank of Canada cuts 0.25 of a percentage point off the overnight rate in June and again in July, many borrowers will start noticing how much less interest they’re paying, and savers will find themselves earning less.


Subscribe to Carrick on Money

Are you reading this newsletter on the web or did someone forward the e-mail version to you? If so, you can sign up for Carrick on Money here.


Rob’s personal finance reading list

Snowballs and avalanches

A look at two strategies for paying off debt – the debt avalanche and the debt snowball. I’ll go with the avalanche.

How not to ruin your kitchen countertop

Anyone who has renovated a kitchen lately knows how expensive stone countertops can be. Look after yours by protecting it from a few common kitchen items.

What you need to know about stock market corrections

A helpful explanation of stock market corrections. It seems an opportune time to look at corrections, given how volatile stocks have been lately. Like scouts, investors should always be prepared.

Put that snack back

Food inflation requires more careful grocery shopping. Here’s a roundup of food products – cookies, snacks, ice cream – that don’t taste as good as they used to. Food companies have always adjusted their recipes from time to time. Is this happening more because of inflation’s impact on raw material prices? A U.S. list – most products are available are familiar to Canadians, too.


Ask Rob

Q: I have Tangerine children’s accounts for my kids. Can you suggest a better alternative?

A: The rate on the Tangerine children’s account is 0.8 per cent, which actually compares well to the big banks and their comparable accounts. For kids aged 13 and up, check out something new called the JA Money Card.

Do you have a question for me? Send it my way. Sorry I can’t answer every one personally. Questions and answers are edited for length and clarity.


Tools and guides

A comprehensive guide on how to build a good credit score.


In the social sphere

Social Media: An offbeat way of fighting high food costs

Watch: Is now the hardest time ever to buy a home?

Money-Free Zone: Singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers has a new album called Don’t Forget Me and it’s generating some buzz because it’s a great listen. Smooth vocals and a laid back countryish vibe that hits a faster pace on one of my favourite cuts, Drunk.


More PF from The Globe

– He keeps ‘a few thousand in crisp new bills’ at home – is that a good idea?

– The pension pivot: Employers recognizing that workers need help with debt as much as retirement

– Her bond ETF is ‘a dud and not promising at all’ – should she sell?

– Despite high fees, Canadians remain perplexingly loyal to mutual funds. Here’s why


More Rob Carrick and money coverage

Subscribe to Stress Test on Apple podcasts or Spotify. For more money stories, follow me on Instagram and Twitter, and join the discussion on my Facebook page. Millennial readers, join our Gen Y Money Facebook group.

Even more coverage from Rob Carrick:

Adblock test (Why?)

728x90x4

Source link

Continue Reading

Economy

LIVE: Freeland joins panel on Indigenous economy – CTV News Montreal

Published

 on


[unable to retrieve full-text content]

LIVE: Freeland joins panel on Indigenous economy  CTV News Montreal

728x90x4

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending