New Zealand’s economic growth cooled markedly at the end of 2025, with gross domestic product expanding by just 0.2% in the fourth quarter on a quarter-over-quarter basis. The result, updated on 18 March 2026, represents a sharp loss of momentum compared with the 0.9% quarterly growth recorded in the third quarter of 2025.
The latest figure underscores a clear deceleration: while the previous reading showed a 0.9% increase in Q3 2025 versus the second quarter, the Q4 2025 data indicate that activity expanded much more modestly compared with the prior three-month period. Investors and policymakers will be closely watching subsequent releases to assess whether this slowdown marks the beginning of a more prolonged period of weaker growth or a temporary pause after a stronger third quarter.
