Economy Watch
1,329 episodes - English - Latest episode: 24 days ago -We follow the economic events and trends that affect New Zealand.
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Blair Turnbull - Insurance and climate change
July 13, 2022 22:30 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBFresh from meeting with international reinsurers, Tower CEO Blair Turnbull says they are "questioning whether they want to be down under." Turnbull spoke to interest.co.nz for the latest episode of our Of Interest Podcast about insurance and climate change. Reinsurers are highlighting they've taken losses for several years in a row, Turnbull said. "And they are looking very closely, as you would expect, about where they want to have insurance for insurers. And especially more recently wit...
Scorching inflation hits 40 year high in the US
July 13, 2022 20:00 - 6 minutes - 6.14 MBKia ora, Welcome to Thursday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news that it is all about inflation and its pressure on central banks. First up today, the headline American CPI inflation rate rose sharply in June by +9.1% and well above the expected +8.8%. That's their largest rise since 1981. But their core inflation rate actually ...
Commodity prices retreat
July 12, 2022 19:50 - 5 minutes - 5.29 MBKia ora, Welcome to Wednesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news that apart from coal, almost all commodity prices are falling today. Market recession rears are behind the retreats. But first, the latest weekly update of American retail sales shows it bubbling higher at a very good pace, well ahead of inflation. This index repo...
Stresses bubble up into street protests
July 11, 2022 19:49 - 5 minutes - 5.28 MBKia ora, Welcome to Tuesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news stress is driving protests in countries as diverse as the Netherlands and China. But first, there was a US Treasury 3 year bond auction earlier today delivering higher yields. It was very well supported delivering a median yield of 3.04%, up from 2.87% at the prior ...
China's economic struggle the global wildcard
July 10, 2022 19:28 - 8 minutes - 7.92 MBKia ora, Welcome to Monday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news China seems to be hamstrung with a flagging economy that is yet to respond to the stimulus administered so far. First up, China reported its June CPI inflation rate at 2.5%, up marginally from May, and up from 1.1% in June 2021. But if it wasn't for a +19% rise in fr...
Tava Olsen - Can NZ have a national supply chain strategy?
July 08, 2022 21:26 - 27 minutes - 25 MBThe Government's push to develop a national supply chain strategy doesn't make much sense because supply chains need to be matched to specific products, says a leading supply chain academic. Tava Olsen, Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management and Director of the Centre for Supply Chain Management at the University of Auckland Business School, spoke to interest.co.nz for the latest episode of our Of Interest Podcast. Earlier this year the Ministry of Transport issued the New Zea...
Global trade recovery underway
July 07, 2022 19:47 - 5 minutes - 4.86 MBKia ora, Welcome to Friday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news there does seem to be an export-led trade recovery underway for some key Western economies, one that isn't attracting much attention from markets so far. But first we should report that initial American jobless claims rose a very minor +12,000 last week from the week...
The global expansion has legs yet despite rising stresses
July 06, 2022 19:47 - 4 minutes - 6.81 MBKia ora, Welcome to Thursday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news overnight data has actually been quite positive, showing the global expansion isn't done yet. The American logistics sector is still expanding fast. The June report shows that growth is rising at an increasing rate for inventory levels still which growth is increas...
Commodity price falls accelerate
July 05, 2022 19:38 - 5 minutes - 7.18 MBKia ora, Welcome to Wednesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news with another day focused on commodity prices, including this time, dairy prices. The overnight dairy auction has brought lower prices again, down -4.1% in US dollar terms. Butter was the big loser, down -9.1% at this auction. SMP fell -5.2% and WMP fell -3.3%. But...
Inflation's surge may have topped out
July 04, 2022 19:42 - 5 minutes - 7.92 MBKia ora, Welcome to Tuesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news there are growing suggestions that the inflation surge may be topping out Remember, it is the July 4, Independence Day holiday in the US and financial markets are closed there. Yesterday we noted than most of the top ten global commodities were falling in price now...
Commodity prices off the boil
July 03, 2022 19:26 - 7 minutes - 10.9 MBKia ora, Welcome to Monday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news commodities are on the front line of a global economic shift. The top ten commodities traded in the world are Brent crude (oil), Steel, WTI crude (oil), Soybeans, Iron, Corn, Gold, Copper, Aluminium and Silver, in that order. But copper prices fell to US$7,716/tonne...
John Bolton - 'The everything bubble's popping and property has probably done comparatively well'
July 01, 2022 21:37 - 38 minutes - 53 MBWhilst the Reserve Bank views the Official Cash Rate (OCR) at its current level of 2% as neutral in that it's neither stimulating nor constraining economic activity, the steep rise in mortgage interest rates over the past year means they are well past a neutral level and are unlikely to rise much further, mortgage broker John Bolton says. Bolton, founder and executive director of mortgage broker Squirrel Mortgages, spoke to interest.co.nz for the latest episode of the Of Interest Podcast. ...
Climate losses come as economies slow
June 30, 2022 19:50 - 6 minutes - 8.41 MBKia ora, Welcome to Friday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news New Zealand is claiming free trade wins in a deal with the EU. But first, American jobless claims inched higher last week although the rise was less than analysts had expected. There are now 1.3 mln American on these benefits now, also a small rise. We are clearly pa...
Fighting inflation will have a painful cost
June 29, 2022 19:50 - 5 minutes - 7.17 MBKia ora, Welcome to Thursday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news 'growth' is to be sacrificed to get the inflation genie back in the bottle, and the resulting pain accepted as the cost of doing so. First, softer consumer spending and higher inventories put the US Q1 GDP further into 'negative territory' in their final revision o...
Too much inventory risks pullbacks
June 28, 2022 19:46 - 4 minutes - 6.62 MBKia ora, Welcome to Wednesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news supply-chain stress in threatening the global economy in a fundamental way now. And weaker American consumer sentiment isn't helping. The rise in American inventories is starting to become concerning, although much of it is just caused by price rises. Still even i...
Rod Carr - 'I would not underestimate the challenge that humanity faces in decarbonising our livelihoods and lifestyles'
June 28, 2022 01:15 - 24 minutes - 33.2 MBBy Gareth Vaughan Climate Change Commission Chairman Rod Carr says he's optimistic about New Zealand's transition towards a zero carbon future despite the massive challenges we face, including from inflation. Carr spoke to interest.co.nz in an episode of the Of Interest Podcast. In the podcast he discusses the impact on inflation from moves to combat climate change, and from climate change itself, and what can be done to mitigate it. This includes so-called "fossilflation," "greenflation,...
In the economic arm wrestle, the US outpaces China
June 27, 2022 19:45 - 4 minutes - 6.46 MBKia ora, Welcome to Tuesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news American economic data is generally more positive while Chinese economic data is generally less positive. First, American durable goods orders for May came in better than expected with a +12% rise from year-ago levels. As good, orders for capital goods also rose +12...
G7 and BRICS square off in great power rivalries
June 26, 2022 19:37 - 6 minutes - 5.7 MBKia ora, Welcome to Monday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news there are meetings underway by two powerful economic groupings today - the G7 and the BRICS countries. The G7 has about twice the economic activity of the BRICS countries, and the BRICS are in a bit of a rut at present, which is unusual for them. The BRICS are meetin...
The pressure is piling on
June 22, 2022 19:48 - 4 minutes - 6.53 MBKia ora, Welcome to Thursday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news pandemics, war and now floods are compounding pressures on the global economy. In the US, Fed Chairman Powell is giving testimony to Congress today and tomorrow, and today acknowledged that a soft landing for the giant American economy will be "challenging" and he ...
Lowe with 'don't go there' warning
June 21, 2022 19:50 - 5 minutes - 6.9 MBKia ora, Welcome to Wednesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news the RBA governor has set some specific limits to where pay rises shouldn't go - to avoid monetary policy consequences. But first up today, the dairy auction brought slightly lower overall prices, down -1.3% in USD. But our lower currency turned that into a +0.9% r...
NZ to be the world's first, largest green hydrogen producer?
June 20, 2022 19:44 - 4 minutes - 5.86 MBKia ora, Welcome to Tuesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news New Zealand's ambitions to be a green hydrogen superpower are making real progress. But first up we should note that today is a national holiday in the US, "Juneteenth", commemorating the end of slavery, an end that started in Texas in 1865. (Until last year, it had...
A weekend meltdown
June 19, 2022 19:42 - 6 minutes - 5.97 MBKia ora, Welcome to Monday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news nowhere is the change of economic mood sharper than in crypto markets. The selloff in those markets has deepened over the weekend, and the bitcoin has now fallen below US$20,000 for the first time since December 2020. In New Zealand dollars, it is threatening NZ$30,0...
Grant Spencer on why inflation is a problem and where it's going
June 17, 2022 00:43 - 29 minutes - 40.1 MBBy Gareth Vaughan By late 2020 it was clear central bank and government monetary policy and fiscal policy responses to the Covid-19 pandemic had prevented a major economic downturn, and thus the Reserve Bank should've been looking to move monetary policy to a neutral rather than super easy setting, says Grant Spencer. Spencer, Adjunct Professor at Victoria University's School of Economics and Finance, is also a former Reserve Bank Deputy Governor, and was Acting Governor for six months up ...
Recession fears grow in wake of rate hikes
June 16, 2022 19:47 - 6 minutes - 5.95 MBKia ora, Welcome to Friday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news global markets are shuddering today as the Fed's rate hike has been followed by other central banks, and investors worry that the very sharp rises in interest rates will bring recession. Most benchmarks are falling. But first, initial American jobless claims rose las...
The US Fed leans harder against inflation, taking risks
June 15, 2022 19:57 - 5 minutes - 5.49 MBKia ora, Welcome to Thursday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news we now have a better idea of how the Americans are going to tackle their surging inflation problem. The US Fed has raised its policy rate by +75 bps to 1.75% in a strong lean against their inflation threat. It is the largest increase by them since 1994. But it is n...
Bear market growls grow louder
June 14, 2022 19:51 - 5 minutes - 6.9 MBKia ora, Welcome to Wednesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news the reasons your mortgage payments are rising sharply are all in today's global news roundup here. The US equity markets are lower today, but by less than yesterday. That leaves them well in bear-market territory. And American bond markets are still haemorrhaging ...
A material downturn is underway
June 13, 2022 20:01 - 6 minutes - 6.14 MBKia ora, Welcome to Tuesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news that is still dominated by American [high] inflation and Chinese [low] demand. Everything now depends on American employment levels. As long as they stay high (for them), then the world may get a softer landing than otherwise. But the Chinese situation isn't helping....
Rampaging thief on the loose
June 12, 2022 19:25 - 9 minutes - 8.48 MBKia ora, Welcome to Monday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news financial markets, regulators and households worldwide are battling the lurking thief that is inflation. And regulators face a stark choice: inflation or recession? The last time Stats NZ looked at our consumer inflation level it was as at March and it was running at...
US has a high inflation problem, China has a low income problem
June 09, 2022 19:51 - 5 minutes - 7.34 MBKia ora, Welcome to Friday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news that the ECB has turned hawkish and is now focused on fighting inflation rather than propping up some of their large slow growing economies. But first, new American jobless claims rose to +185,000 last week, a very minor rise. There are now 1.255 mln people on these ...
Air cargo demand sags as global growth impetus wanes
June 08, 2022 19:50 - 4 minutes - 6.78 MBKia ora, Welcome to Thursday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news that with the oil price up over US$120/bbl and the benchmark UST 10yr yield above 3%, the risks that global stagflation poses have risen sharply. But first, the fall away in US mortgage applications picked up speed again last week - and are now at more than a 20 ye...
The pulling in of horns spreads
June 07, 2022 19:53 - 5 minutes - 5.4 MBKia ora, Welcome to Wednesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news there are some early signs global households may be starting to feel they are owing too much debt. Any pullback from that will induce a 'balance sheet recession', that during stagflation, might be very hard to control. But first up today, the latest dairy auction ...
Markets now accept higher interest rates are here to stay
June 06, 2022 19:45 - 5 minutes - 5.39 MBKia ora, Welcome to Tuesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news we are heading into a key week for economic data. In the week ahead we will get the US CPI next on Saturday, June 11, and it is expected to hold at 8.3% as the headline rate. Along with last weekend's rise in non-farm payrolls, that probably locks in the next two +5...
The push to launch a central bank digital currency
June 04, 2022 18:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBOf Interest: In this episode Gareth Vaughan discusses the progress the New Zealand central bank is making on its digital currency development with Ian Woolford. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) considering launching a central bank digital currency (CBDC) is in part a defensive move to protect it and NZ's monetary sovereignty, says RBNZ Director of Money and Cash Ian Woolford. The RBNZ is one of dozens of central banks around the world considering introducing a CBDC. A few, including ...
Of Interest: the push to launch a central bank digital currency
June 04, 2022 18:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBOf Interest: In this episode Gareth Vaughan discusses the progress the New Zealand central bank is making on its digital currency development with Ian Woolford. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) considering launching a central bank digital currency (CBDC) is in part a defensive move to protect it and NZ's monetary sovereignty, says RBNZ Director of Money and Cash Ian Woolford. The RBNZ is one of dozens of central banks around the world considering introducing a CBDC. A few, including ...
China stumbles into broad frustrations
June 02, 2022 19:41 - 4 minutes - 4.04 MBKia ora, Welcome to Friday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news of rising frustrations in China. But first, we get the May American non-farm payrolls report tomorrow and analysts expect it to rise by +325,000 jobs. But today, the precursor ADP Employment Report only signalled +128,000 new jobs, and if the non-far, payrolls report...
Rates rise with inflation, consequences yet to hit
June 01, 2022 19:50 - 5 minutes - 5.23 MBKia ora, Welcome to Thursday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news that tomorrow will be as good as today, and it will stay like that for a while. But more international data is softening. US mortgage applications decreased yet again last week and that was even though mortgage interest rates slipped a bit. But last week's survey ...
Stagflation stalks the global economy
May 31, 2022 19:51 - 6 minutes - 5.53 MBKia ora, Welcome to Wednesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news that stagflation is stalking the global economy. But first, the latest American consumer sentiment survey, this one from the Conference Board, declined marginally in May, but nothing like the University of Michigan one. The dip in this one was less than expected. ...
Raging inflation a clear and present risk to retail demand
May 30, 2022 19:52 - 4 minutes - 4.18 MBKia ora, Welcome to Tuesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news retailers worldwide are now on eggshells waiting to see how hard consumers pull back in the face of the supply-chain-induced inflation surge. But first, it is Memorial Day in the US and they are still on holiday. They are using the break to ponder their ridiculous o...
China's economy gets the staggers
May 29, 2022 19:33 - 6 minutes - 6.4 MBKia ora, Welcome to Monday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news China's pandemic struggles are seriously undermining their economic life and the long-term impacts seem to be getting worse. But first, we should note that it is a long weekend holiday in the world's largest economy. But this is also an important retail shopping peri...
Data wavers but investors go risk-on
May 26, 2022 19:52 - 4 minutes - 4.44 MBKia ora, Welcome to Friday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news Wall Street is rising again, partly because some large retailers like Macy’s, Dollar General and Dollar Tree all reported good results reflecting their ability to handle margin pressures from inflation's surge. Meanwhile, initial jobless claims fell again last week i...
Growth impetus fades
May 25, 2022 19:55 - 5 minutes - 4.66 MBKia ora, Welcome to Thursday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news that, apart from fossil fuels, we are seeing a broad retreat in most commodity prices today. And first, even though the slip was small last week, American mortgage applications fell again week-on-week taking this downward trend to nine of the past twelve weeks. Ben...
US economy shifts to a slower gear
May 24, 2022 19:45 - 3 minutes - 3.49 MBKia ora, Welcome to Wednesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news there are increasing signs the recent US boom is coming to an end, not necessarily with a recession, but with less expansionary conditions. This is flow through to the global economy quite quickly. First, US factories are expanding less quickly. And their services...
Looking on the bright side
May 23, 2022 19:52 - 5 minutes - 8.19 MBKia ora, Welcome to Tuesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news that despite lingering recession worries, there are a set of 'comeback' moves on today. Equities are rising, bond yields are firm, currencies are strengthening and some data is expanding. All this gives a comeback vibe, even if none of them are completely convincing ...
Equity losses grow as repricing shift deepens
May 22, 2022 19:33 - 5 minutes - 8.23 MBKia ora, Welcome to Monday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news the move towards bear market conditions seems relentless, even if Wall Street pulled back slightly on Friday. But first, the Australian election seems to have not only delivered a change of governing party - the traditional switch between the Coalition LNP and the Au...
The pall of uncertainty lingers
May 19, 2022 19:45 - 4 minutes - 6.34 MBKia ora, Welcome to Friday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news a pall of uncertainty is still hanging over investment and financial markets, uncertainty about how the drive to quell inflation will turn out for asset prices. US jobless claims rose slightly last week but remained below the 200,000 level in 'actual' terms, and the ...
Wall Street turns to custard
May 18, 2022 19:50 - 5 minutes - 7.48 MBKia ora, Welcome to Thursday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news yesterday's optimism seems to have turned to custard today. Earnings reports from Walmart and Target show that retailers can't raise prices fast enough to maintain margins and earnings are taking a hit. Investors have quickly forgotten the prior day's upbeat mood. ...
US consumers the central global economic driver
May 17, 2022 19:40 - 4 minutes - 5.86 MBKia ora, Welcome to Wednesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news the US expansion rolls on, the core engine again of the global economy as China stumbles. But first, there was another dairy auction today, and another fall in overall prices. This time they fell -2.9% in USD terms and -1.6% in NZD terms. That means from the mid-M...
China reversal larger than expected
May 16, 2022 19:45 - 5 minutes - 7.31 MBKia ora, Welcome to Tuesday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news that China's economic stumble is the real elephant in the room for the global economy, and not the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But first in the US, there was a surprisingly negative regional survey of manufacturers in New York. The Empire State Manufacturing Index ...
A week ahead of big economic tests
May 15, 2022 19:41 - 5 minutes - 8.12 MBChina struggles to head off an economic unravelling. US Fed to go hard against inflation. War sets up global food & energy crisis.
Global recession fears grow
May 12, 2022 19:58 - 4 minutes - 6.71 MBKia ora, Welcome to Friday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the International edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news the equity markets are still falling as investors worry that more Fed rate hikes will stunt economic activity everywhere. But first, last week US jobless claims actually fell slightly to 191,000 (although most reports will focus on a seasonally adjusted rise). There ...