Covid-19 hit: not as bad as we expected?

Covid-19 hit: not as bad as we expected?
Rebecca Howard
Signs are emerging that the economic hit from covid-19 might not be as bad as expected, although what actually happens from slamming the brakes on activity both at home and abroad remains uncertain. “From the outset of this pandemic, our government has committed to going hard and going early, cushioning the blow for households and businesses, and kick-starting the recovery on the other side,” Finance Minister Grant Robertson told Parliament this week.     It may be working. The massive $62.1 billion of fiscal stimulus and the Reserve B...

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Food prices rise 4.6% in the year to June
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Food prices rise 4.6% in the year to June

New stats show food prices rose 4.6% in the year to June – the largest rate of increase since late 2023.That was up from a 4.4% increase in the year to May, Stats New Zealand’s latest selected price indexes show.Rising prices for fruit and vegetables in June have contributed to a...

Staff reporters 17 Jul 2025