The Bank of England's new approach to mortgage restrictions better targeted than LVR policy - NZIER Insight 46
July 2, 2014
Just last week Mark Carney, the Governor of the Bank of England, tightened the rules on mortgage lending in the United Kingdom. Now loans set at more than 4.5 times income can make up only 15 percent of new mortgage lending. We like this approach to financial stability because it dire … Read more
Big city life? Challenges and trade-offs for Auckland city
May 8, 2014
Auckland is on the move. Economic growth is outpacing most regions and people continue to flow into the city. This is putting pressure on the shape of Auckland city and the form of housing and transport infrastructure. So it's not surprising that Auckland is revising its planning for … Read more
Time to revise the TWI to reflect modern New Zealand's export profile - NZIER Insight 45
February 24, 2014
People are worried about the damage the strengthening exchange rate might be doing to the export sector, but the headline exchange rate measures don't capture burgeoning emerging market trade. Read more
Migrants increase our incomes - NZIER Insight 44
February 10, 2014
A new Insight from the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) shows that increasing net migration would lift incomes not just for immigrants but for the native population. An additional 40,000 people a year for 10 years increases GDP per capita by a chunky $410 a year. "A … Read more
Construction productivity : an evidence base for research and policy issues
November 12, 2013
A report for the Building and Construction Sector Productivity Partnership. Read more
Fighting fit? Assessing New Zealand's fiscal sustainability
October 24, 2013
New Zealand faces a huge fiscal cost from an ageing population so we need to start making tough fiscal decisions now. We have the room to make adjustments and history shows our politicians do respond to increases in debt by adjusting taxes or spending. The sooner changes are made, the … Read more
NZ petrol prices reflect input costs not gouging - NZIER Insight 43
August 6, 2013
Often motorists complain that petrol companies are quick to raise petrol prices at the pump but then conspire to drop prices slowly when international oil prices fall. Like in any efficient market, changes in the cost of oil - both up and down - should be passed on to consumers rapidl … Read more
Should a board set interest rates? Not if it compromises monetary policy objectives - NZIER Insight 42
June 24, 2013
The Greens' idea to use the Reserve Bank Board to make monetary policy might improve decision-making but using a board designed to represent industry, risks compromising the Reserve Bank's independence and the goals of monetary policy. Read more
Appraising transport strategies that induce land use changes : estimating benefits of long-term land use change from standard transport model outputs
June 10, 2013
This paper develops a cost-benefit appraisal (CBA) methodology to apply to infrastructure strategies that are expected to induce long-run change to land use, population and economic activity ('land use' for short). Read more
Hi ho silver lining? What firms need to think about as New Zealand ages
March 26, 2013
As the population ages, a number of economic trends will emerge that put pressure on profits. On the cost side, an increase in competition for skilled workers will push wages up. Revenue will also be affected as demand shifts in favour of products that older people use and consume. Th … Read more