Economy Watch

Gold resurgent at US Treasuries expense

02 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Hot mess & strategic failure

01 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Talks & fights, truce awaits approvals

28 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Mixed messages on Hormuz progress

27 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The US launches new strikes on Iran as talks stall

26 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Markets bet on a resolution

25 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Vanity trumps progress in Hormuz standoff

24 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

US-Iran tensions at stalemate

21 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Warsh in the hot seat

20 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Turbulence moves into bond markets

19 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Oil & bond markets jittery on stalled US-Iran 'talks'

18 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

A major financial market re-think is underway

17 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Grand welcome, big threats, small deals

14 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Tighter supplies drive price leap in some core commodities

13 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Trump faces stalemate in the Middle East, now with China

12 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The US boxed in by own goals

11 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

The Persian Gulf mess festers

10 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

US credit card debt leaps

07 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Without any cards, Trump does u-turn

06 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Markets act as though Hormuz is settled

05 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Hot conflict reignited in Persian Gulf

04 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Intense pressure but financial markets still holding

03 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Compounding exposure

30 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Airlines become the canary of the global economy

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Fallout from oil price rises spreads

28 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Oil prices are rising

27 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

The ruptures deepen

23 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Yes, the Hormuz mess is worse today

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Hormuz ceasefire set to expire

21 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

US-Iran positions yo-yo

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Pressure re-applied as Hormuz chaos returns

19 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Oil supply picture gets more complicated

16 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Trump flails aimlessly in Mid East & with Powell

15 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

US policy just gets weirder

14 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Brace for sharp oil pressure

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Global outlook darkens

12 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

War threats compounded by cyber security threats

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Assessing the war scars

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

US leadership insanity deepens

07 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

US service sector cools, inflation heats up

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Contrasting national addresses

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Searching for an off-ramp

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Q1-2025 ends in a mess

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

War consequences bite harder

29 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

US sentiment falls further. China and US trade anti-trade probes. China's profits rise. Countries enact various fuel affordability measures. diesel cr...

Risk aversion rises on more policy corrosion

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Trump adventure leaves a global mess

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Escalations show off-ramp options fade

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Trump backs down on strikes against Iran's power system

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Trump chickening out on Iran strategy. US data soft. EU sentiment dives. Moderates start to win again in Europe.

Investors face stagflation, reassess returns

22 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Energy shock to be protracted

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Fed steady in face of local and global provocations

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Middle East attrition going nowhere

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Markets discount war risks

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

A week of global central bank updates

15 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Title: A week of global central bank updates ------------------------ Kia ora. Welcome to Monday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events...

David Cay Johnston: NZ's objective with Trump should be 'to not become the focus of his wrath'

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Under the leadership of President Donald Trump there's a danger the United States will become an autocratic nation, not unlike China, Saudi Arabia or ...

Oil up, equities down, quagmire deeper

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Markets ignore official data and actions

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Markets bet heavily on the TACO effect

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Can politicians cover the Iran crisis cracks?

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

The consequences of a series of bad choices bedevils the US, and the rest of us

08 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Trump's distraction war causes chaos

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Insurers dismiss Trump's promises

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

War inflation fears spread

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The cost of war will hit inflation soon

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Safe haven demand to set the tone this week

01 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Mark Laurence: 'Flabbergasted that AI hasn't become a political talking point'

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Artificial intelligence (AI) should be a key election year issue especially given the technology has major potential to help improve New Zealand's pro...

Pressure in the details

15 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Tech takes a beating, bond yields fall

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

US budget hole set to deeping by trillions

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

US retail sales stall

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Taiwan hits it out of the park

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 thi...

Clear winners - and losers

08 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Imre Speizer: Differing levels of 'assertiveness' between RBNZ & RBA the reason for big cash rate difference

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

​By Gareth VaughanThe Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to lift its cash rate 25 basis points this week means it's now 160 basis points higher th...

Retreating tech leaves US weaknesses exposed

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Risk reactions extreme again

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

India & the US strike a tariff deal

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 thi...

Uncertainty becomes the new certainty

01 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Steve Symon: Following the money while playing whack-a-mole against the large commercial enterprises of organised crime

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

By Gareth VaughanA new all-of-government strategy to tackle organised crime aims to make New Zealand the hardest place in the world for organised cr...

Gold price rise hesitates despite rising risk aversion

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

US data mixed as risk aversion rises. Singapore & Sweden hold rates. EU sentiment rises, inflation expectations dip. Air travel & cargo buoyant.

Inflation pressure raises chances of rate rises

28 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Chaotic US policymaking tests investor nerves

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

US mess drives precious metals

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 thi...

Eyes on the 'Sell America' trade

25 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Anna Breman: The new RBNZ Governor on inflation, being told off by Winston Peters & more

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

​By Gareth VaughanGovernor Anna Breman has implied the Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee will increase the Official Cash Rate (OCR) in the r...

Investors rush US alternatives

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The debasement trade gathers momentum

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

The rise and rise of risk

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Risks rise, but financial markets turn a blind eye

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 thi...

US workers get 80 year low share of their economy

18 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Lots of data, few gains

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Trump's Epstein-distraction projects unnerve markets

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Powell winning the tussle with Trump, so far

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Powell shirt-fronts Trump's cheap tactics

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 thi...

Europe & South America cement trade deal

11 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

US chooses trade isolation

08 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The weak USD is driving important realignments

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Precious metals lead commodity gains

06 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Risk premiums rise sharply

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 thi...

China to reprise stimulus, but with shifted focus

04 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Gold turns from a risk haven to a speculative play

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 thi...