New Zealand Q2 Retail Sales Beat Forecast With 0.5% Gain

New Zealand’s retail sales volumes rose 0.5% in the second quarter of 2025, defying expectations for a decline of about 0.3% and slowing from the previous quarter’s 0.8% increase. On an annual basis, sales were 2.3% higher, accelerating from 0.7% in the first quarter. The figures are reported in volume terms, excluding the impact of inflation, and suggest household spending remained resilient despite tighter financial conditions.