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New Zealand

Inflation Stories

Kiwi Stories

Inflation stories

Reserve Bank kept interest rates low too long, Covid-19 review finds
Risk & Compliance

Reserve Bank kept interest rates low too long, Covid-19 review finds

The review says delayed tightening helped drive inflation to 7.3 percent, forcing sharper rate rises and weighing on growth and jobs.

By RNZ • 5 min read • Last week
How much beneficiaries are left with after paying the rent
Buy Now Pay Later

How much beneficiaries are left with after paying the rent

After housing costs, beneficiaries have just NZD $251 a week on average, with rent swallowing nearly half their income.

By RNZ • 3 min read • Last month

Global Stories

Inflation stories

Australian firms hold cash amid rising supply chain costs
Supply Chain

Australian firms hold cash amid rising supply chain costs

Rising logistics, property and construction costs are leaving Australian companies wary of expansion as Christmas trading prospects soften.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 4 min read • 3 days ago
Corporate FX hedging falls to record low as firms retreat
Risk & Compliance

Corporate FX hedging falls to record low as firms retreat

Corporate losses from unhedged currency swings eased in Q2, even as UK and US firms cut protection to the weakest levels on record.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 7 min read • 3 days ago
New York tops ECA's ranking of costliest expat cities
Human Capital Management

New York tops ECA's ranking of costliest expat cities

London's place on the list slipped as currency moves and housing costs reshaped expat budgets across 208 cities worldwide.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last week

Stories from Other Regions

Inflation stories

Australia inflation cools but RBA likely to tighten again
Artificial Intelligence

Australia inflation cools but RBA likely to tighten again

A softer August reading may not spare borrowers, with CreditorWatch warning that broad-based price pressures still point to another RBA hike.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Yesterday
Australia's salary budgets edge up to 3.6% in 2027
Human Capital Management

Australia's salary budgets edge up to 3.6% in 2027

Employers are prioritising scarce skills and critical roles as pay rises stay broadly flat across Australia, Aon said.

By Raphael Veloso • 4 min read • Yesterday
RBA rate rise deepens Australia's housing market slowdown
Inflation

RBA rate rise deepens Australia's housing market slowdown

Borrowing power has fallen by nearly AUD $90,000 for a median-income household, leaving sales and prices under renewed pressure.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 3 min read • Yesterday
Australian household spending flat as fuel costs rise
Artificial Intelligence

Australian household spending flat as fuel costs rise

Fuel and other essentials kept Australian consumers under pressure in August, with flat spending and weaker non-fuel outlays pointing to caution.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 3 min read • 2 days ago
RBA still tipped to raise rates as jobs data blurs
Inflation

RBA still tipped to raise rates as jobs data blurs

Australia's labour market sent mixed signals in August, but inflation worries still leave the Reserve Bank likely to lift interest rates next week.

By Mara Sugue • 5 min read • Last week
US consumers want more flexible bill payment options
Digital Transformation

US consumers want more flexible bill payment options

Financial pressure is pushing households to favour flexible due dates and hardship pauses, even as most still want a live agent for billing disputes.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last week
US consumers demand flexible bill payments as strain grows
Fintech

US consumers demand flexible bill payments as strain grows

More than three in five bill payers want control over payment timing, as 59% lack enough savings to cover a USD $1,000 emergency.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last week
RBA set for September rate rise, CreditorWatch says
Artificial Intelligence

RBA set for September rate rise, CreditorWatch says

Australian households and debt-laden firms face further borrowing-cost pressure, with CreditorWatch seeing no chance of the RBA standing pat in September.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • Last week
Australian businesses upbeat despite cash flow strain
Risk & Compliance

Australian businesses upbeat despite cash flow strain

Many Australian firms are still using owners' personal money to prop up working capital, as cash reserves and trading confidence weaken.

By Mara Sugue • 5 min read • Last week
Data centre boom deepens strain on Australia builders
Data centers

Data centre boom deepens strain on Australia builders

Residential builders face rising defaults and insolvencies as Australia's AUD $150 billion data centre pipeline squeezes labour and materials.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 5 min read • Last month
Australian banks cut business card rewards & perks
Westpac

Australian banks cut business card rewards & perks

Businesses using credit cards are losing insurance, longer grace periods and reward value as major lenders trim perks amid card reforms.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 5 min read • Last month
Oboloo launches free online procurement course for SMEs
Software-as-a-Service

Oboloo launches free online procurement course for SMEs

SMEs facing tight margins could cut costs and reduce supplier risk through a new 10-module procurement course from Oboloo.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last month