NZ June qtr inflation just below forecast; bolstered by housing costs

NZ June qtr inflation just below forecast; bolstered by housing costs
Rebecca Howard
By Rebecca Howard July 17 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand second-quarter inflation was slightly lower than economists had expected but in line with central bank forecasts as housing-related prices continue to push higher. The consumers price index rose 0.4 percent in the three months ended June 30, while annual inflation was 1.5 percent, Statistics New Zealand said. Economists had expected quarterly CPI to rise 0.5 percent for an annual increase of 1.6 percent, according to the median in a poll of 13 economists surveyed by Bloomberg. The Res...