Conditions are in place for a sustained economic expansion. Fiscal stimulus, monetary stimulus, and the lower exchange rate are all supporting economic activity. Despite these drivers, business surveys indicate that firms’ activity is expanding only slowly. Risks to global growth, such as international trade tensions, continue to increase. Government spending is supporting activity. The Families Package increased household incomes from the start of the September quarter. Plans for spending and investment announced in Budget 2018 are expected to support growth. The KiwiBuild programme is assumed to add to the rate of ... (full story)