Amidst ongoing economic fluctuations, the latest data from Auckland's Council Research and Evaluation Unit offers a comprehensive look into the region's economic landscape as of April 2024.

For Coasties understanding these insights provides crucial context to navigate current financial trends affecting the community.

The report highlights several notable statistics. Import values through Auckland's seaports for the year ending April 2024 totalled $30.9 billion, marking an 8% decline from the previous year but a 7% increase compared to five years ago.

In contrast, the rest of New Zealand reported $31.6 billion in imports, reflecting a 23% year-on-year decrease.

Regarding housing, Auckland experienced a robust market with 21,095 houses sold in the year ending April 2024, a 15% increase from the previous year and the highest since 2022.

However, this figure falls short when compared to the period spanning 2012 to 2022.

The median house price for April 2024 stood at $1,050,000, showing stability in real terms over the past eight years and a modest 2% rise from the previous year.

In construction, 14,650 new dwellings were consented in the same period, a figure reflecting a decline from the peak observed in September 2022 but surpassing pre-2020 levels.

Non-residential building consents also demonstrated resilience, with a real value of $3,134 million for the year ending April 2024, although slightly lower than the peak recorded in November 2022.

Economic growth indicators reveal a nuanced picture.

Auckland's GDP grew by 0.5% for the year ending March 2024, outpacing the rest of New Zealand's 0.1% rise.

However, both figures underscore a downward trend since mid-2023, influenced by slower population growth and lingering effects from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Retail sales experienced a downturn, with a 3.0% decrease for the year ending March 2024, mirroring a broader decline across New Zealand with a 4.2% fall, marking the poorest performance since 2009.