30.04.202601:00:00UTC+00New Zealand Business Confidence Slumps as NBNZ Own Activity Index Nearly Halves in April

New Zealand’s business sentiment deteriorated sharply in April, with the NBNZ Own Activity indicator falling to 19.6%, down from 39.3% in March 2026. The latest reading, updated on 30 April 2026, signals a marked loss of momentum in firms’ expectations for their own future activity across the economy.

The drop of nearly 20 percentage points in a single month suggests that businesses have turned significantly more cautious about their outlook compared with March. While the indicator remains in positive territory—implying more firms still expect expansion than contraction—the scale of the slowdown points to rising uncertainty and potential headwinds for growth heading into the coming months.

Markets and policymakers will be watching subsequent releases closely to determine whether April’s reading marks the start of a more sustained downturn in business confidence or a temporary setback following March’s stronger result.