Media alert
21 February 2014
ASB / Main Report Regional Economic Scoreboard
December 2013Quarter
Canterbury takes top spot in the latest ASB/Main Report Regional Economic Scoreboard, knocking Auckland back into second
place.
In Canterbury, construction activity continued to accelerate over the last quarter of 2013, helping to boost the wider
regional economy and push Canterbury up to five stars out of five.
Auckland has slipped to second place but also gains a star, reflecting the region’s strong performance over the last
year. While Canterbury’s story is a construction-driven one, Auckland is benefitting from a broader expansion in
business activity, rising house prices and strong population growth.
Over 2013, Bay of Plenty has surged from the bottom half of the rankings up to third with New Zealand’s strong export
outlook boosting employment and trade in the region. Taranaki, buoyed by the stellar performance of the dairy sector
spilling over into positive construction and retail activity, now sits in fourth place.
The ASB / Main Report Regional Economic Scoreboard takes the latest quarterly regional statistics and ranks the economic
performance of New Zealand’s 16 regional economic areas.
The full report is attached and available online.
ENDS