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Data from FMP. Forecasts by Sigmanomics Forecast Engine.
New ZealandNew Zealand Balance of Trade fell to -1.95B in July 2026
FMPMonthlyReleased August 2026
New Zealand Balance of Trade fell to -1.95B in July 2026, released August 2026, down 1.71B from June's -0.24B reading. The reading missed the -0.18B consensus by 1.78B. Balance of Trade has now declined for 4 consecutive months. Over the past 3 months, Balance of Trade averaged 0.41B, vs 0.79B in the prior 3-month window. Balance of Trade is now the lowest in 21 months.
Latest Release
-1.95
Actual
-0.175
Consensus
-0.24
Previous
Median Absolute Error
±0.55 billion
across last 12 releases
Last Call
Aug 2026
Predicted: -0.25
Actual: -1.95
Error: +1.7
Sigmacast Σ-direction model: consensus + ½ × mean(surprise, trailing 90d).
CORRELATED SYMBOLS— markets that historically move with this indicator
| Symbol | Direction | Correlation | Asset Class | Co-movement | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTC/USD | ▼ Inverse | −0.35 | CRYPTO | Moves against | → View |
| NZD/JPY | ▲ Direct | +0.27 | FOREX | Moves with | → View |
Correlation based on 12-month rolling window. Click any symbol to view its Sigmanomics forecast page.
THE RELEASE
Balance of Trade (New Zealand) was reported at -1.95 billion in August 2026. This missed the market consensus of -0.18 billion by 1.78 billion. The reading fell from the previous value of -0.24 billion. Trailing 12-month context per ETL data through August 2026. Over the past 12 months, the indicator has averaged -0.38 billion, ranging from -1.95 billion to 1.92 billion across 11 releases. This is classified as a medium-impact indicator released on a monthly basis.
WHY IT MATTERS
The indicator has been trending downward over the last three releases. The trailing three releases averaged -0.38 billion, down from the prior three at 0.38 billion. Volatility over the past year (σ 1.07 billion) is comparable than the prior year (σ 1.18 billion). In August readings over the past 3 years, Balance of Trade has averaged -1.16 billion.
THE MODEL'S TAKE
Historically, this indicator is negatively correlated with BTC/USD (Bearish BTC). Over the last 12 releases, the Sigmacast model's median absolute error is 0.55 billion.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
The next release is scheduled for September 17, 2026. Same-country events in the next 14 days include Retail Sales MoM (Sep 14) and Current Account (Sep 15).
Auto-generated from current model state · Refreshes on each release · Last update August 2026.
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Balance of Trade - NZ
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About Balance of Trade — New Zealand
DEFINITION
The Balance of Trade is a financial indicator that measures the difference between a country's exports and imports of goods and services. It is an important measure of a country's economic health and can indicate whether a country is running a trade surplus or deficit. A positive balance of trade indicates that a country is exporting more than it is importing, while a negative balance of trade suggests the opposite. This indicator is closely monitored by economists and policymakers as it can impact a country's currency value, inflation, and overall economic growth.
WHY THIS INDICATOR MATTERS
Trade-balance and tariff data inform exchange-rate fundamentals and feed directly into GDP via the net-exports channel. Surprises against consensus can drive short-term moves, particularly when the print breaks an established trend. Released monthly.
WHAT CHANGED THIS MONTH
Latest reading (Jul 2026): actual -1.95 M, consensus -0.175 M. Prior reading (Jun 2026): 0.02 M. Before that (May 2026): 0.8 M.
WHAT'S NEXT
Sigmacast's 1-month forecast points to a materially lower reading versus the latest print, with the 3-month outlook reinforcing that direction. Both horizons are aligned bearish for this indicator, suggesting a consistent trend signal. Trend-driven dynamics are the primary headwind in the current projection.
Σ
EXPECTED ZONE
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Economic Calendar - NZ Events
| Sunday, September 13, 2026 | Actual | Previous | Consensus | Sigmanomics Rolling-Surprise Forecast | Impact | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22:30 | NZ | Services NZ PSI | 51.2 | 50.6 | 50.5 | 50.85 | Low |
| 22:30 | NZ | Composite NZ PCI | 52.5 | 52.5 | 52.3 | 52.40 | Low |
| 22:45 | NZ | Visitor Arrivals YoY | 8.5 | 8.1 | 4 | 6.25 | Low |
| Monday, September 14, 2026 | Actual | Previous | Consensus | Sigmanomics Rolling-Surprise Forecast | Impact | ||
| 22:45 | NZ | Electronic Retail Card Spending YoY | 3.4 | 3 | 3.00 | Low | |
| 22:45 | NZ | Electronic Retail Card Spending MoM | 1.3 | -0.7 | -0.70 | Low | |
| Tuesday, September 15, 2026 | Actual | Previous | Consensus | Sigmanomics Rolling-Surprise Forecast | Impact | ||
| 02:35 | NZ | 3-Month Bill Auction | 2.878 | 2.809 | 2.81 | Low | |
| 21:00 | NZ | Westpac Consumer Confidence | 80.4 | 82.3 | 76.05 | Low | |
| 22:45 | NZ | Current Account | -1.01 | -2.65 | -2.64 | Medium | |
| 22:45 | NZ | Current Account | -1.01 | -7.5 | -7.49 | Medium | |
| Wednesday, September 16, 2026 | Actual | Previous | Consensus | Sigmanomics Rolling-Surprise Forecast | Impact | ||
| 22:45 | NZ | GDP Growth Rate YoY | 1.5 | 2.3 | 2.30 | Medium | |
| 22:45 | NZ | GDP Growth Rate QoQ | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.10 | Medium | |