FX.co ★ New Zealand Q4 Retail Sales Growth Beats Estimates

New Zealand’s retail sales rose 0.9% quarter-on-quarter in Q4 2025, easing from a 1.9% increase in the previous quarter but exceeding market expectations of a 0.6% gain. This was the fifth consecutive quarterly rise, with figures adjusted for inflation and seasonal factors. Growth was broad-based, with 12 of the 15 retail industries recording higher sales volumes. The strongest increases were seen in pharmaceutical and other store-based retailing (5.2%), electrical and electronic goods (2.2%), and hardware, building, and garden supplies (2.2%). By region, sales advanced in both the South Island (2.3%) and the North Island (1.5%). On an annual basis, retail turnover expanded 4.4%, following a 4.5% increase in Q3, marking the fifth straight quarter of year-on-year growth.