Annual wages growth is still accelerating. It is premature to talk of interest-rate cuts while such stretched capacity still exists.
You can draw a pretty strong conclusion that better availability and cheaper child care would certainly encourage more women to work.
Inflation is going the wrong way, from 3.2 to 3.4 per cent.
The central bank has identified the triggers that will make it raise rates. We don't think those things will happen.
If Peter Costello wants more taxpayers, he is going to have to find more child-care places so mothers can actually get back to work.
Yes, the economy is slowing, but New Zealand is not in recession. Even if you take January and February together, you've still got retail sales travelling at 1.1% for the quarter. Sales growth was also much broader in February.
Aside from the unexpected slump in non-rural goods, we note that imports are still strong in capital, so the business investment theme is still alive and well.
This is the nail in the coffin for the recession camp.
Copyright © 2024 Electric Goat Media. All Rights Reserved.