Economic analysis for Auckland

Key economic indicator graphs for Auckland city

Residential building consents in Auckland city for new dwellings

Source: Statistics New Zealand.

This graph shows the number of building consents that have been issued for new buildings in Auckland city. The number of new consents has remained relatively stable since 2006, following a peak in 2004. Earlier peaks also occurred in 2002/2003 and 1999/2000.

Non-residential building consents in Auckland city

Source: Statistics New Zealand, Building Consent.

This graph shows the value of non-residential building consents in Auckland city for consents for new buildings and for the alteration of existing buildings. The value of these has fluctuated over the last decade. The total value has recently risen due to increases in the value of consents for new buildings, although remains below the 2005/2006 peak.

Annual value of exports through Auckland airport and seaport

Source: Statistics New Zealand.

This graph shows the annual value of exports that have passed through Auckland airport and seaport. The total value of exports has been gradually increasing since about 2003\2004, with a rapid growth in the latter half of 2007.

Annual GDP growth

Source: Infometrics.

This graph shows Auckland city's annual GDP growth in the year ended in each March. GDP growth has slowed in Auckland city since the immigration fuelled peak in 2003. An earlier peak also occurred in 2000 where GDP growth was nearly 9 per cent.

Business confidence for Auckland city

Source: NZIER, Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion.

This graph shows whether the net percentage of respondent businesses in Auckland city have found the general business situation to improve or deteriorate since the previous three months. The net percentage of respondents is calculated by subtracting the percentage of the respondents saying "deteriorated" from the percentage that say "improved". Business confidence has fluctuated during the last decade, although current levels are below any other low points during the last decade.

Unemployment rate for Auckland city

Source: Statistics New Zealand, Household Labour Force Survey.

This graph shows the annual average unemployment rate in Auckland city. It has been increasing over the past few years as growth in the labour force has exceeded growth in employment, although remains well below levels experienced in the late 1990s.

National inflation

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Consumer Price index.

This graph shows New Zealand's inflation rate and is divided into tradable and non-tradable inflation. These have fluctuated over the last decade, particularly tradable inflation. More recently, tradable inflation has sharply increased due to food and fuel costs and the impact of international conditions on our economy.

Auckland city migration

Source: Statistics New Zealand, External Migration statistics.

This graph shows the overseas annual net migration to Auckland city and is divided into arrivals and departures. Net migration is below a peak in 2003 and has remained relatively stable over the last four years, although it has decreased over the last couple of years due to a faster growth rate in the number of departures than arrivals. However, net migration is currently above that of ten years ago.

Trade weighted index

(Base June 1979=100)

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand.

This graph shows New Zealand's trade weighted index each month over the last decade. It "is a measure of the value of the New Zealand dollar (NZD) relative to the currencies of New Zealand's major trading partners (Reserve Bank of New Zealand)." This has decreased in the short-term, although has been increasing in the medium-term since a low in 2000.

Retail sales in Auckland city

Source: Statistics New Zealand, Retail Trade Survey.

This graph shows the annual percentage growth in retail sales in the year to each month in Auckland city. Growth has fluctuated over the last decade and is currently below a highpoint in 2004 and a smaller peak in 2007. A low point occurred in 1998 where retail sales were actually declining.

Published September 2008