October 15, 2024 22:57 GMT
NEW ZEALAND: Inflation Back Into RBNZ Target Band, Non-Tradables Easing Slowly
NEW ZEALAND
Q3 NZ CPI came in slightly below forecasts at 0.6%q/q (mkt consensus was 0.7%, while the RBNZ projected a 0.8% rise). The Q2 outcome was 0.4%. In y/y terms inflation was 2.2%, in line with market expectations, while the RNZ projected a 2.3% rise. Tradables were slightly below expectations at -0.2%q/q (-0.1% forecast, -0.5% prior), while non-tradables were in line at 1.3%q/q (prior 0.9%). the RBNZ forecast non-tradables at 1.4%.
- Annual headline inflation is back within the RBNZ's 1-3% target band for the first time since early 2021. Non-tradabables inflation, a measure of domestic price pressures is still quite elevated in y/y terms, back to 4.9% for Q3. This is comfortably above longer term averages.
- Still, measures of core inflation like the trimmed mean eased to 2.5%y/y in Q3 from 3.7%, while the weighted median was at 2.8% y/y in Q3 from 3.5% prior. Ex fuel, food and energy costs is back to 3.1%y/y from 3.4%.
- This is likely to provide some re-assurance to the RBNZ of softening in aggregate price pressures. There will be watch points for the RBNZ in terms of the stickiness of domestic price pressures, but this is unlikely to prevent the central bank form easing further in the near term, as adjusts settings back closer towards more neutral levels.
Fig 1: Measures Of NZ Inflation (Pink is Headline, White is Non-tradables, Other Measures Are Trimmed & Weighted Median)
Source: MNI - Market News/Bloomberg
- NZ Stats noted in terms of Q3 drivers: "Higher rent prices was the biggest contributor to the annual inflation rate, up 4.5 percent."
- "Prices for local authority rates and payments increased 12.2 percent in the 12 months to the September 2024 quarter"
"Prescription charges were reintroduced on 1 July 2024. Pharmaceutical product prices, which includes prescription charges, increased 17.0 percent over the quarter. - "While prices rose overall, a 6.5 percent fall in petrol prices across the country was the largest downwards contributor to the 0.6 percent quarterly movement.
- "Early childhood education was also a partly offsetting factor, falling by 22.8 percent, due to the introduction of the FamilyBoost rebate."
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