Housing Confidence: Confidence levels soften
- Buying sentiment among New Zealanders has started to soften, though the proportion of respondents remaining positive about whether it is a good time to buy remains around the highest level since July 2011
- A decade-high level of inventory, the prospect of further interest rates reductions and stabilised house prices continue to support buying sentiment, offset by rising job-insecurity due to a weak labour market
- For the fourth consecutive quarter, the proportion of respondents expecting interest rates to fall has reduced
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Nick Tuffley
ASB Chief Economist
Since starting out in 1997 as an economist, it's fair to say Nick has seen a few hair-raising moments over the years, including the Asian Financial Crisis and the Global Financial Crisis.
One of Nick's strengths is his ability to communicate complex ideas in a readily understandable and entertaining way. He thrives on helping people understand the economic environment to help enrich the quality of their business or personal life. He’s proud to lead a team that has won two Forecast Accuracy Awards from Consensus Economics, and has a strong track record with their Official Cash Rate and dairy price forecasts.
Nick grew up in Christchurch and graduated with a Master of Commerce degree from the University of Canterbury. He learned his economic ropes at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand before a long stint as a Senior Economist at Westpac, and joined ASB as Chief Economist in 2007.
- Email: Nick