FX.co ★ NZ Consumer Confidence Dips Amid Rising Costs

The Westpac McDermott Miller Consumer Confidence Index in New Zealand experienced a slight decline, decreasing to 90.9 in the third quarter of 2025 from 91.2 in the preceding quarter, thereby continuing to linger at historically low levels. This decline indicates ongoing pressures facing households as rising living costs and economic uncertainty adversely affect sentiment. Westpac notes that the economy is encountering a mid-year slowdown, with increasing expenses dampening confidence despite easing borrowing costs. The survey further points to a weak job market and persistent softness in housing prices as primary concerns. These elements, coupled with the challenges of the cost of living, suggest that consumer confidence in New Zealand remains vulnerable.