NZ central bank holds OCR at 2.25% as inflation is poised to cool
New Zealand’s Reserve Bank keeps the Official Cash Rate at 2.25% and says inflation is likely to return to the 1–3% target range in the first quarter of 2026. The economy shows early recovery with strong commodity and regional activity, but households remain cautious, unemployment stays elevated, and house-price growth is weak. Policy is expected to normalize gradually as inflation moves toward the midpoint of the target band.













