Articles in ‘Economics’

World Affairs In Context · What if the next financial crisis is already unfolding—hidden in plain sight? · This video exposes the private credit bubble that could trigger the next global meltdown. Born after the 2008 crisis and fueled by regulations like Basel III and the Dodd-Frank Act, private credit has exploded into a $3 trillion market—but cracks are forming fast. · With nearly 40% of loans tied to the struggling software sector, and AI…

Recent economic analysis from Kiwibank and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) shows that although the recovery is still in its early stages, the fundamentals are improving — and there are solid reasons to be optimistic. · 1. The Recovery Is Underway — With Supportive Settings · The RBNZ has held the official cash rate (OCR) at 2.25%, maintaining easy monetary conditions to help the economy build momentum. This reflects confidence that…

The state is lecturing its citizens about the supposed danger of their diets, again By Rachel Marsden, a columnist, political strategist, and host of independently produced talk-shows in French and English. https://www.rt.com/op-ed/authors/rachel-marsden/rachelmarsden.com · ©  Getty Images/Rawpixel · Here comes the 1st battalion of desk jockeys to lecture you about your dinner’s carbon footprint. · Daily life in France used…

World Affairs In Context · In this new geopolitical breakdown, we dive into the latest analysis from the European Council on Foreign Relations and unpack what may be a historic turning point in European strategic thinking. · At this year’s Munich Security Conference, the message coming from mainstream European elites is clear: the liberal “rules-based international order” that defined global politics for nearly three decades is structurally…

Auckland, New Zealand — After a challenging 2025, Kiwibank economists are forecasting a marked economic turnaround next year (2026), with signs of recovery emerging across key sectors and confidence rising among households and businesses. 2025: A Difficult Year, But Momentum Building · Economists at Kiwi Bank describe 2025 as a year where the New Zealand economy struggled to gain sustained momentum. Throughout the year, higher interest rates…

Inflation has moved back above the Reserve Bank’s target range, driven less by discretionary spending than by unavoidable household bills. Council rates and electricity costs are now biting hardest, pushing inflation higher even as families cut back elsewhere. Summarised by Centrist · Statistics New Zealand figures show the consumer price index rose 0.6 per cent in the December quarter. · This has lifted annual inflation to 3.1 per cent. That…

Stats NZ has delivered a run of unexpectedly positive data across housing, exports and retail, a sign the economy may finally be stabilising after two years of strain. New home consents rose 6.2 percent in the year to October, driven almost entirely by townhouses, flats and apartments. Higher-density homes accounted for nearly 18,000 consents, with Auckland producing half the national lift. · October alone saw a 23.5 percent jump in consents…