Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on December 18, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleNew Zealand's consumer confidence index hit a four-year high of 101.5 in December, driven by increased discretionary spending and stable interest rates.
SYDNEY, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Consumer confidence in New Zealand rose in December to its highest level in more than four years, with card spending data showing a lift in discretionary spending, ANZ-Roy Morgan data showed on Friday.
The consumer confidence index jumped to 101.5 in December from 98.4 in November. A reading above 100 shows optimism, while below that indicates pessimism.
ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner said in a statement that mortgage holders were more keen to spend as interest rates had cycled.
"It will be interesting to see in January whether the recent change in direction in interest rates affects this sentiment, or whether the (central bank governor's) reassuring words about interest rates staying low for a considerable period ... see willingness to spend continue to lift," Zollner said.
(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Franklin Paul)
Consumer confidence is a measure of how optimistic or pessimistic consumers are regarding their expected financial situation and the overall economy. It influences spending and saving behaviors.
Interest rates are the cost of borrowing money or the return on savings, expressed as a percentage. They are set by central banks and can influence economic activity.
Discretionary spending refers to non-essential expenses that consumers can adjust or eliminate, such as entertainment, dining out, and vacations, depending on their financial situation.
The consumer confidence index is a statistical measure that gauges the overall sentiment of consumers regarding the economic outlook, based on their spending and saving behaviors.
Economic growth refers to an increase in the production of goods and services in an economy over a period, typically measured by the rise in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
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