New Zealand’s non-financial business sector showed a negative saving of $2.5 billion in the March 2024 quarter,
according to figures released by Stats NZ today.
Negative saving represents greater outgoings than income and is funded by prior saving or new borrowing. The
non-financial business sector has experienced negative saving in four of the last five quarters. This contrasts with
positive saving in most quarters of the preceding six years.
The sector’s gross operating surplus decreased to $16.0 billion in the March 2024 quarter. This is the fifth consecutive
decrease since the final quarter of 2022 when gross operating surplus was $18.9 billion.
“Decreases in operating surplus reflect lower profitability for the business sector,” national accounts institutional
sectors senior manager Paul Pascoe said.
Visit our website to read this news story and information release and to download CSV files:Business sector outgoings higher than incomeNational accounts (income, saving, assets, and liabilities): March 2024 quarterCSV files for download