RBNZ official Breman said protectionism remains New Zealand’s principal risk,
though some encouraging signs may blunt the impact of rising protectionism and
weaker global cooperation. She said many countries are resisting the trend.
Since the latest Middle East conflict, New Zealand has concluded a free trade
agreement with India and signed a special pact with Singapore committing to
continue mutual exports even during crises. The RBNZ has warned that persistent
global trade-policy uncertainty clouds the international outlook; policymakers
say higher trade barriers could slow trading partners’ activity, weigh on export
demand and delay domestic recovery.
