New Zealand’s economy showed a modest improvement at the end of 2025, with gross domestic product (GDP) growth rising to 1.3% year-over-year in the fourth quarter, up from 1.1% in the third quarter of 2025. The data, updated on 18 March 2026, indicate a slight strengthening in annual economic momentum as the year closed.
The figures are based on a year-over-year comparison, in which the current reading reflects the change in GDP in the fourth quarter of 2025 versus the same quarter a year earlier, while the previous reading reflects the change in the third quarter of 2025 versus the third quarter a year earlier. The uptick from 1.1% to 1.3% suggests that, although growth remains moderate, New Zealand managed a small acceleration in activity heading into 2026.
