Business confidence · New Zealand
New Zealand NZIER Business Confidence
The New Zealand NZIER Business Confidence asks companies in New Zealand how they judge current business conditions and what they expect for the coming months.
- Importance
- Low
- Released
- Quarterly
- Currency
- NZD · New Zealand dollar
- Central bank
- The Reserve Bank of New Zealand
Latest figures
The latest release for Q3, published on 5 October 2026, came in at 43%, up from 8% the time before.
Over the last 7 releases it ranged from -4% to 48%, averaging 22%; it has been rising for three releases in a row.
| Released | For | Actual | Consensus | Previous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 2026 | Q3 | 43% | – | 8% |
| 13 Jul 2026 | Q2 | 8% | – | -4% |
| 20 Apr 2026 | Q1 | -4% | – | 48% |
| 12 Jan 2026 | Q4 | 48% | – | 18% |
| 6 Oct 2025 | Q3 | 18% | – | 22% |
| 30 Jun 2025 | Q2 | 22% | – | 19% |
| 7 Apr 2025 | Q1 | 19% | – | 16% |
Why it matters
Confidence leads hiring and investment decisions, so these surveys often turn before the hard data. Germany's Ifo and ZEW, and Japan's Tankan, are among the most market-moving releases for the euro and the yen.
How it is calculated
Survey answers (better/same/worse) are turned into a balance (positive minus negative answers) or an index around a long-run average of 100; the release separates current conditions from expectations.
What changes mean
- The expectations component turns first; watch its direction over several months.
- A gap between strong current conditions and weak expectations often marks a peak.
Higher than expected: A stronger figure than expected points to a healthier economy: it usually supports the New Zealand dollar and local stocks, and can push bond yields up.
Lower than expected: A weaker figure than expected points to slowing activity: the New Zealand dollar tends to soften and markets price in lower rates.
A short history
Business tendency surveys began in Germany (Ifo) and other European countries after the Second World War; the Bank of Japan's Tankan has been run for decades, and the ZEW financial-expert survey since 1991.
New Zealand was the first country to adopt formal inflation targeting, in 1990.
Questions
What is the New Zealand NZIER Business Confidence?
The New Zealand NZIER Business Confidence asks companies in New Zealand how they judge current business conditions and what they expect for the coming months.
What was the latest New Zealand NZIER Business Confidence?
43% for Q3, published on 5 October 2026.
Educational content only, not investment advice. Figures are the published results as recorded by our calendar; market reactions described are typical, not guaranteed.