RBNZ reiterated its 2% inflation goal after CPI rose above target, stressing vigilance while noting spare capacity should help cool pressures.
Summary:
RBNZ says it remains committed to returning inflation to 2% midpoint
Q4 annual CPI accelerated to 3.1%, slightly above the 1%–3% band
Governor says core inflation still appears within target range
Bank to stay “very vigilant” on inflation amid mixed recovery signals
Spare capacity and subdued wage growth seen helping inflation fall
Reserve Bank of New Zealand Governor Anna Breman said the central bank remains committed to returning inflation to the 2% midpoint of its target band, even after fresh data showed inflation running slightly hotter than expected. Speaking after the release of the December-quarter CPI report, Breman said the RBNZ is still assessing the details of the inflation outcome but views conditions as broadly supportive for inflation to ease back toward target.
Statistics New Zealand data showed annual inflation rose to 3.1% in the fourth quarter from 3.0% previously, pushing inflation marginally above the RBNZ’s 1%–3% target range. Breman said core inflation still appears to be within the band, an important signal for policymakers as they judge whether the rise in headline inflation reflects temporary factors or more persistent domestic price pressures.
The governor emphasised that the RBNZ will remain highly alert to inflation risks in the current environment. However, she pointed to underlying conditions that should help bring inflation lower over time, including spare capacity in the economy and wage growth that remains relatively subdued. Those dynamics, she suggested, give the central bank room to manage the “balancing act” between supporting a recovery and ensuring inflation returns to target.
On growth, Breman said New Zealand is seeing signs of an economic recovery, though some indicators remain weak. That mixed backdrop reinforces the central bank’s need to move carefully, watching how demand and labour-market conditions evolve after a significant easing cycle. The RBNZ has already delivered large rate cuts since 2024, and recent communications have suggested policymakers are increasingly focused on whether policy is now sufficiently supportive to sustain recovery without reigniting inflation.
Breman also addressed a separate political sensitivity, saying her signing of a statement supporting the US Federal Reserve chair was not intended to represent New Zealand government foreign policy. The comment appears aimed at drawing a line between central bank independence and broader geopolitical debate, while keeping attention on the RBNZ’s domestic mandate.
Overall, the message from the governor was one of reassurance and vigilance: headline inflation has nudged above target, but the bank still expects a path back toward the 2% midpoint, underpinned by spare capacity and muted wage pressures. Markets will now focus on whether subsequent data confirm a cooling trend in underlying inflation, or whether persistent domestic pressures force the RBNZ to keep policy tighter for longer than previously anticipated.
