About
A senior journalist and news editor with interest.co.nz, David Hargreaves has covered financial markets and economics both in New Zealand and Britain for longer than he cares to mention.
David Hargreaves
Latest articles
David Hargreaves says still 'sticky' domestic inflation may convince the Reserve Bank to sit tight on the Official Cash Rate at least for now
17th Jul 24, 11:22am
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David Hargreaves says still 'sticky' domestic inflation may convince the Reserve Bank to sit tight on the Official Cash Rate at least for now
Latest card spending data from the country's biggest bank shows that annual growth has fallen below 1%, suggesting sales volumes are still falling
15th Jul 24, 2:16pm
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Latest card spending data from the country's biggest bank shows that annual growth has fallen below 1%, suggesting sales volumes are still falling
Activity in the service sector has dropped sharply again in June to once again be at the lowest level in 17 years apart from during lockdowns
15th Jul 24, 11:43am
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Activity in the service sector has dropped sharply again in June to once again be at the lowest level in 17 years apart from during lockdowns
David Hargreaves assesses the prospects for the June quarter inflation figures due to be released this coming Wednesday and which will be pivotal for the Reserve Bank in deciding whether to cut the Official Cash Rate sooner or later
14th Jul 24, 6:00am
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David Hargreaves assesses the prospects for the June quarter inflation figures due to be released this coming Wednesday and which will be pivotal for the Reserve Bank in deciding whether to cut the Official Cash Rate sooner or later
Latest Reserve Bank figures show one in six mortgages in May was taken up for the previously very unfashionable fixed rate term of six months
9th Jul 24, 3:43pm
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Latest Reserve Bank figures show one in six mortgages in May was taken up for the previously very unfashionable fixed rate term of six months
ASB economists say they hope that households will base their future decisions 'on a more realistic outlook' for household incomes, house prices and borrowing costs
9th Jul 24, 8:25am
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ASB economists say they hope that households will base their future decisions 'on a more realistic outlook' for household incomes, house prices and borrowing costs
Kiwibank economists say they would recommend cutting the Official Cash Rate in August
8th Jul 24, 1:45pm
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Kiwibank economists say they would recommend cutting the Official Cash Rate in August
The Reserve Bank's likely to cheerfully ignore the growing clamour for some public indication of when the Official Cash Rate will be cut when it has its next review of the OCR in the coming week
7th Jul 24, 6:30am
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The Reserve Bank's likely to cheerfully ignore the growing clamour for some public indication of when the Official Cash Rate will be cut when it has its next review of the OCR in the coming week
Statistics New Zealand figures show household net worth increased by $7.8 billion in the March 2024 quarter, even though house and land values dropped by $2 billion
4th Jul 24, 1:11pm
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Statistics New Zealand figures show household net worth increased by $7.8 billion in the March 2024 quarter, even though house and land values dropped by $2 billion
BNZ economists say they hope the Reserve Bank will 'eventually accept' there are a number of relative price increases such as insurance and rates that can be 'looked through'
2nd Jul 24, 10:55am
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BNZ economists say they hope the Reserve Bank will 'eventually accept' there are a number of relative price increases such as insurance and rates that can be 'looked through'
Centrix says all sectors have seen liquidations rise, with retail trade companies experiencing the largest increase annually followed by the property/rental and transportation sectors
2nd Jul 24, 6:58am
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Centrix says all sectors have seen liquidations rise, with retail trade companies experiencing the largest increase annually followed by the property/rental and transportation sectors
David Hargreaves says it looks too late to 'save' this year, but if we can beat inflation, then the RBNZ will call off the dogs and the prospects for next year will be for a gradual recovery. If we can beat inflation...
30th Jun 24, 7:00am
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David Hargreaves says it looks too late to 'save' this year, but if we can beat inflation, then the RBNZ will call off the dogs and the prospects for next year will be for a gradual recovery. If we can beat inflation...
Latest RBNZ figures show NZ's housing lending stock increased by over $1.3 billion in May, while the annual growth rate was the highest for over a year
29th Jun 24, 6:31am
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Latest RBNZ figures show NZ's housing lending stock increased by over $1.3 billion in May, while the annual growth rate was the highest for over a year
ANZ economists are optimistic the Reserve Bank will be in a position to cut the Official Cash Rate 'considerably earlier' than August next year as the RBNZ currently expects
27th Jun 24, 1:28pm
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ANZ economists are optimistic the Reserve Bank will be in a position to cut the Official Cash Rate 'considerably earlier' than August next year as the RBNZ currently expects
ASB economists expect 'a considerably more modest inflation impact in NZ' than during the pandemic spike in shipping costs, but say the latest rise 'will further crimp NZ and global household demand'
26th Jun 24, 11:49am
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ASB economists expect 'a considerably more modest inflation impact in NZ' than during the pandemic spike in shipping costs, but say the latest rise 'will further crimp NZ and global household demand'
Latest monthly figures from the Reserve Bank reveal our central bank has seen a decrease in its 'foreign currency intervention capacity' of NZ$732 million last month - the first drop in a year
25th Jun 24, 3:52pm
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Latest monthly figures from the Reserve Bank reveal our central bank has seen a decrease in its 'foreign currency intervention capacity' of NZ$732 million last month - the first drop in a year
Westpac McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Survey shows a marked fall in the latest three months
25th Jun 24, 10:23am
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Westpac McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Survey shows a marked fall in the latest three months
David Hargreaves sums up the first (nearly) six months of the year and thinks it would be a very good idea to stop it and start again. Unfortunately though, we will have to carry on. Here's what's transpired so far...
23rd Jun 24, 7:00am
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David Hargreaves sums up the first (nearly) six months of the year and thinks it would be a very good idea to stop it and start again. Unfortunately though, we will have to carry on. Here's what's transpired so far...
[updated]
RBNZ chief economist Paul Conway says the country is in a 'slow-to-no-to-negative' growth environment, but the outlook is slightly more positive for the future and the outlook is also for continued declines in inflation
19th Jun 24, 9:49am
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RBNZ chief economist Paul Conway says the country is in a 'slow-to-no-to-negative' growth environment, but the outlook is slightly more positive for the future and the outlook is also for continued declines in inflation
Long-running survey records the worst ever non-Covid-affected level of activity for the services sector; 'This tells of a services sector in reverse at pace'
17th Jun 24, 12:11pm
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Long-running survey records the worst ever non-Covid-affected level of activity for the services sector; 'This tells of a services sector in reverse at pace'
It's a line ball call whether GDP figures out in the coming week will reveal the country still to be in recession or not. But whatever the outcome, economists don't see a particularly rosy path for the economy in the immediate future
16th Jun 24, 6:30am
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It's a line ball call whether GDP figures out in the coming week will reveal the country still to be in recession or not. But whatever the outcome, economists don't see a particularly rosy path for the economy in the immediate future
It's official: The wallets are being slammed shut. Electronic card transactions data from Statistics NZ shows that retail sales figures - which are not adjusted for inflation - are below the levels of a year ago
13th Jun 24, 11:53am
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It's official: The wallets are being slammed shut. Electronic card transactions data from Statistics NZ shows that retail sales figures - which are not adjusted for inflation - are below the levels of a year ago
Latest spending data from the country's biggest bank highlights the extent to which Kiwis have put their wallets away as rising costs and higher interest rates have taken their toll
11th Jun 24, 11:36am
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Latest spending data from the country's biggest bank highlights the extent to which Kiwis have put their wallets away as rising costs and higher interest rates have taken their toll
SkyCity Entertainment Group says in order to preserve 'headroom' with its financing covenants it has suspended dividend payments for both the 2024 and 2025 financial years; earnings guidance for current year downgraded; share price tumbles
6th Jun 24, 10:26am
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SkyCity Entertainment Group says in order to preserve 'headroom' with its financing covenants it has suspended dividend payments for both the 2024 and 2025 financial years; earnings guidance for current year downgraded; share price tumbles
Latest Reserve Bank figures show nearly three-quarters of the new mortgage money taken up by owner-occupiers in April was for at rates fixed for a year or less
5th Jun 24, 3:46pm
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Latest Reserve Bank figures show nearly three-quarters of the new mortgage money taken up by owner-occupiers in April was for at rates fixed for a year or less