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The OCR cut: Ongoing risks and reasons for optimism

19/02/2025

The Reserve Bank New Zealand (RBNZ) reduced the official cash rate (OCR) by 0.5% points to 3.75%. The lowest since late 2022. This is good news – it will spur economic recovery through the middle of the year.

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Recent updates

The OCR cut: Ongoing risks and reasons for optimism

Published 19/02/2025

The Reserve Bank New Zealand (RBNZ) reduced the official cash rate (OCR) by 0.5% points to 3.75%. The lowest since late 2022. This is good news – it will spur economic recovery through the middle of the year.

read more

First salvos fired in new trade war

Published 03/02/2025

The US has imposed major tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, triggering global economic uncertainty. The latest commentary from the Simplicity Research Hub explores how these trade policies could impact New Zealand—through currency fluctuations, interest rate changes, and weakened exports.

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Simplicity Research Hub headed by Chief Economist Shamubeel Eaqub

Published 19/12/2024

Simplicity has hired Shamubeel Eaqub as Chief Economist, alongside policy researcher Rosie Collins to head the new Research Hub. They'll focus on areas of economics and policy of interest to Simplicity including KiwiSaver, housing, infrastructure and capital markets.

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Some industries are hurting more than others in this recession

Published 02/12/2024

Business stress in New Zealand is at its highest levels since the Global Financial Crisis, with record numbers of corporate insolvencies and IRD-driven windup applications. Construction, forestry, logistics, and small food and retail businesses are among the hardest hit, but...

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A step toward economic recovery? What the OCR cut means

Published 27/11/2024

The RBNZ has cut the OCR to 4.25% as the economy faces its deepest recession in decades. While inflation has eased, further rate cuts are needed to stabilise the economy and prevent unnecessary job losses and closures.

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What does retail spending in NZ tell us?

Published 25/11/2024

Kiwis are still doing it tough. They're being more careful with their spending, and money doesn't go as far. According to Shamubeel, this can be explained by three broad factors.

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The changing face of renting

Published 22/11/2024

566,000 households were renting in 2023—that's one-third of all New Zealand households. However, gaps in regulation and inconsistent standards highlight the need for better oversight to ensure quality experiences for both renters and landlords.

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Corporate insolvencies have spiked to new highs

Published 15/11/2024

The recent spike in corporate insolvencies reflects the toll of the current recession on many businesses in New Zealand. While challenges remain, tentative signs of resilience and recovery are emerging, offering hope for better economic conditions ahead.

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Dealing with change: What Trump's election win means for NZ

Published 07/11/2024

The US has elected Donald Trump as president. What does this mean for NZ? It means dealing with change. Chief Economist, Shamubeel Eaqub, shares his insights on how this leadership transition could impact our economy.

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