New Zealand’s Annual Inflation Eases to 3.7% in September Quarter

New Zealand’s annual consumer price inflation eased to 3.7% in the September 2026 quarter from 4.1% in June, Stats NZ reported. Prices rose 0.7% from the previous quarter, leaving annual inflation above the Reserve Bank’s 1–3% target band. Petrol was the largest contributor to the annual increase, with prices 19.1% higher than a year earlier, even as they fell 6.5% over the quarter. Electricity prices increased 9.3% annually and council rates rose 6.2%; excluding petrol price changes, annual consumer price inflation would have been 3.2%.