NZ Consumer Confidence Index Holds Steady at 97.6

New Zealand's consumer confidence index remained relatively stable in September, despite a slight decrease of 0.4 points to 97.6.

The net proportion of households thinking it's a good time to buy major household items rose 5 points but remains subdued at -7%, indicating ongoing cautiousness among consumers.

Inflation expectations (2 years ahead) fell 0.2 percentage points to 4.5%, reaching its lowest level since March 2025, while house price expectations eased from 2.5% to 2.4%, their lowest level since July 2024.