New Zealand: Consumer Morale Weakens in August.

The ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Index eased to 98.0 in August 2026, remaining below the neutral 100 mark but 18 points higher than its April low. The share of households seeing it as a good time to buy a major household item, a key retail indicator, fell 5 points to -12, suggesting that retail remains a tough gig. Two-year inflation expectations were little changed at 4.7%, while house price expectations edged down to 2.5% from 2.6%. The future conditions index rose marginally to 107.7 from 106.5, moving above the neutral 100 mark for the second straight month, while the current conditions index declined to 83.4 from 88.5. Assessments of current personal finances also dropped (-21% vs -16%). Economic expectations for the year ahead improved slightly, from -13% to -12%, while the five-year outlook rose 1 point to +13%. However, a net 22% of respondents expected to be better off this time next year, the strongest figure since January.