Inflation stories

New Zealand households trim holiday splurges as cost-of-living pressure pushes spending towards smaller treats and away from big-ticket buys.

Experian data shows Australian households are trimming big-ticket discretionary purchases but still spending on personal care, digital goods and travel.

Blue Yonder survey finds supply chain leaders are prioritising efficiency and resilience over emissions, even as 66% work to cut impact.

US AI megadeals push global venture capital to a record USD $330.9 billion as OpenAI, Anthropic and xAI dominate first-quarter funding.

Opia widens promotion protection for brands as volatility, inflation and fraud fears push marketing teams to seek tighter budget control.

Fractional Chief Marketing Officers say brands must ditch blanket discounting, sharpen value messages and tailor offers as households split into two wallets.

Forrester says Middle East tensions will push up infrastructure costs, sharpen cloud and AI spending scrutiny, and heighten cyber risk.

Vero survey finds 63% of New Zealand SMEs saw revenue fall, with rising costs, tax changes and weak confidence weighing on smaller firms.

Forrester says Asia Pacific tech spending will climb to USD $874 billion in 2026, but inflation, tariffs and geopolitical risks will blunt gains.

moomoo steps up its New Zealand expansion with first local hires, a high-net-worth Priority tier and investor workshops in Auckland.

RedotPay wins new Canada, US and Argentina licences as it builds a global crypto payments hub and expands stablecoin-based services.

Warehouse automation shifts from a discretionary cost play to a strategic necessity as labour shortages and weak productivity squeeze ANZ firms.

A security expert says NZ's retail crime 'wave' is overstated, blaming inflation and new reporting systems rather than a crime explosion.

Guidewire touts 'insurance-grade AI' as it uses generative tools to speed risk, claims and pricing decisions for cautious insurers.

Denmark tops FM's 2026 Resilience Index for a third year as Europe dominates the rankings and India makes broad-based gains across all zones.

New Zealand investors are warned AI-fuelled gains face “incredible danger” from US inflation, soaring debt and turbulent midterms ahead.

Trans-Tasman small firms are upbeat and boosting tech and marketing, yet consumers report patchy service and missing digital basics.

Stress is surging for New Zealand's small business owners, with nearly half considering closing as rising costs and tax shocks take their toll.

Australian workplaces brace for 2026 as AI, hybrid models and security demands converge to reshape how, where and why people work.

AI disruption, cyber threats and inflation now rank as top concerns for Australasian CEOs, even as most still plan to expand in 2026.