Stats NZ will be releasing GDP figures for the December quarter on Thursday, March 19. Our recent pattern with the GDP figures has been very up and down, with large swings from plus to minus growth between quarters. Economists have their views about what might be behind this pattern, and it is clear that our GDP figures have for whatever reason become a lot more 'seasonal' - when of course they are not meant to be. Okay, if we assume the December quarter GDP figures do show slight growth, but slower than the September quarter, what of the current March quarter?. And if the December quarter GDP outcome turns out to be not particularly good, will that cause a knock to confidence and hesitancy with spending?

Source: Stuff March 15, 2026 00:03 UTC