Statistics NZ said the GDP increase had been bolstered by a 0.8 per cent jump in retail spending. However, Statistics NZ slashed its previously-published estimate of GDP growth in the three months to the end of June from 0.5 per cent to just 0.1 per cent. While June-quarter growth had been revised downwards, Statistics NZ upgraded its estimate for overall GDP growth in the year to the end of June from 2.4 per cent, to 2.8 per cent. Statistics NZ spokeswoman Ruvani Ratnayake could not rule out future significant revisions to the September growth data, including when it revised its annual benchmarks in a year's time. The quarterly figures Statistics NZ published used "the best possible data it had at that point in time", she said.

Source: Stuff December 18, 2019 21:55 UTC