New Zealand Inflation Rate Rises to 3% in Q3

Annual inflation rate in New Zealand increased to 3.1% in the December 2025 quarter, the highest since the June 2024 quarter, from 3.0% in the previous period and slightly above forecasts. The largest contributors were all in the housing and household utilities group, namely electricity (12.2%, the highest since the March 1989 quarter), local authority rates and payments (8.8%) and rent (1.9%). Compared to the previous quarter, the CPI increased 0.6%, following a 1.0% rise in the previous period. International air transport, up 7.2%, was the largest upwards contributor to the quarterly rise, while petrol, up 2.5%, also added to the increase. Lower vegetable prices, down 16.5%, helped offset the quarterly rise, driven by seasonal falls for tomatoes, cucumbers, capsicums, lettuce, and broccoli.

Annual inflation rate in New Zealand increased to 3% in the third quarter of 2025, the highest since the second quarter of 2024, from 2.7% in the previous period and in line with forecasts. The largest contributors were all in the housing and household utilities group, namely electricity (11.3%, the highest since the March 1989 quarter), rent (2.6%), and local authority rates and payments (8.8%). Compared to the previous quarter, the CPI increased 1%, the most in two years, following a 0.5% rise in the previous period. Local authority rates and payments, up 8.8%, was the largest upwards contributor to the quarterly rise. Vegetables, up 12.2%, also contributed, mostly seasonal rises for tomatoes, cabbage, capsicums, lettuce, and broccoli.

New Zealand’s annual inflation rate edged up to 2.7% in the second quarter of 2025, from 2.5% in the previous quarter, but remained just below market expectations of 2.8%. Key drivers of the annual increase included local authority rates and payments, which rose 3.2% and contributed 12.9% to the overall rise. Rents and electricity prices also climbed by 3.2% and 8.4%, contributing 12.5% and 8.4%, respectively. These gains were partially offset by significant declines in petrol and early childhood education costs. Petrol prices dropped 8%, subtracting 12.8% from the index, while early childhood education fell 22.8%, contributing -4.7%. The latter reflects the impact of the FamilyBoost childcare payment introduced on July 1, 2024. On a quarterly basis, the Consumer Price Index rose 0.5% in the June quarter, slowing from a 0.9% increase in Q1 and missing forecasts of a 0.6% rise.