Economy Watch

Kia ora, Welcome to Monday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news it doesn't look like our trading partners are going to be that helpful getting us out of recession. This week we will be watching for the Selected Prices inflation indicat...

Kia ora, Welcome to Friday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news the American rich get insulated from legal scrutiny, while the US economic data loses its shine. First in the US, their services sector expanded slower in January than exp...

Kia ora, Welcome to Wednesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news it remains unclear what happens next after the chaotic round of US tariffs on their closest trade partners, and then their unexpected suspension. But first up this morn...

Kia ora, Welcome to Tuesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news Trump's tariffs are bringing the same level of global uncertainty back as we had from China's pandemic. This time however, officials in charge lack the credibility or the...

Kia ora, Welcome to Monday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news about the start of a tariff trade war, a reprise of a 1930s effort, also started by the US, and one that ended badly for everyone. The week ahead was supposed to be basica...

Kia ora, Welcome to Friday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news of some all-time high benchmarks that are impressive. The first estimate of Q4-2024 GDP was out earlier today and it came in at a +2.3% growth rate, less than the +3.1% in...

Kia ora, Welcome to Thursday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news markets are all quiet ahead of the US Fed monetary policy review and results will be announced at 8am NZT. Markets do not expect any rate change, but given the aggressiv...

Kia ora, Welcome to Wednesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news US equity markets have made a comeback from yesterday's tech rout. But it isn't a full comeback yet in the tech space. In addition, general economic sentiment is more s...

Kia ora, Welcome to Tuesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news Wall Street is reassessing its valuation basics, and there is a general pullback across the board. It started with questions about an AI valuation bubble, but is extendin...

Kia ora, Welcome to Monday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news that we will be watching for China holiday demand signals, and watching how the US Fed handles new sharp political interference. Also, this week will bring a slew of big e...

Kia ora, Welcome to Friday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news we are living in a new world of imposed distortions. Ethical politics or business dealing is out the window. Trust is being replaced by force. It is hard to see how this w...

Kia ora, Welcome to Thursday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news the the cost of the Trump capricious bulldozing is going to be much higher interest rates - and the bond market have a key signal today. But first, US mortgage applicati...

Kia ora, Welcome to Wednesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news the dominated by Trump's shows of 'power' and theatrics. Toxic tech-bro masculinity is on full display. Senior female leaders are getting the chop or side-lined. But so...

Kia ora, Welcome to Tuesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news the US is today moving from a prosperous and strong four years into an unknown future; the age where billionaires get all the gains. Markets are showing caution, especial...

Kia ora, Welcome to Monday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news the world seems to be bracing for the uncertainties of the incoming US Administration, but it is starting from a generally resilient position (although that doesn't seem t...

Kia ora, Welcome to Friday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news that despite it rising to its highest since June - to +2.9% and fourth monthly increase - financial markets have concluded US inflation is under control and Fed rate cuts...

Kia ora, Welcome to Thursday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news the relief is palpable in financial markets today. First up today we can report that the American CPI inflation rate came in at 2.9% in December, almost exactly as expec...

Kia ora, Welcome to Wednesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news long term rates just keep on rising ahead of the change in the US Administration. And now the USD is slipping back. First up however, the overnight GDT dairy Pulse auct...

Kia ora, Welcome to Tuesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news the week has started tentatively. But there was an eye-catching housing affordability proposal in Spain, But first, there were no real surprises in the latest survey of A...

Kia ora, Welcome to Monday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news the rise in long term benchmark rates is echoing everywhere, including in New Zealand. But first, if you are just back from your summer break, welcome back to work. Those...

Kia ora, Welcome to Friday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news China and Japan seem to be in the process of swapping places. But first, following a much better than expected rise in October, and driven by fast-rising credit card debt,...

Kia ora, Welcome to Thursday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news long term interest rates are rising and have much further to go. But first, American private businesses added +122,000 workers to their payrolls in December, the least i...

Kia ora, Welcome to Wednesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news American economic data continues to impress. But first up today there was a full dairy auction , one that brought slightly lower prices overall in USD terms (-1.4%), an...

Kia ora, Welcome to Tuesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news China's financial markets are flashing some unwelcome signals. But first up today, there were a range of services PMIs for December released overnight. And the most inter...

Kia ora, Welcome to Monday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. And today we lead with news the economic world its returning after the end of year holiday season, and finding the 2024 worries are still here in 2025. First up however, the first post-New Year holid...