New Zealand shows some bounce

New Zealand's economy is growing so nicely, it may have to raise interest rates soon.

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Nigel Marple/Reuters
Like Jari-Matti Latvala, a driver in the WRC Rally New Zealand, the economy of New Zealand has some bounce. Growth looks so good that it may have to start raising interest rates soon.

The latest unemployment report in New Zealand showed a big drop in the unemployment rate during the first quarter, from 7.1% to 6.0%.
 
 As a result, New Zealand might soon as fourth advanced economy (after Australia, Israel and Norway), soon start raising short-term interest rates, currently at 2.5%. If that happens, the attractiveness of the New Zealand dollar as a target currency in carry trade will again increase.
 
 The seemingly ever escalating Southern European debt panic might derail this, but probably not since New Zealand is very far away from Europe (It's on the other side of the planet) and has therefore stronger economic ties to Australia, America and Asia than with Europe.
 
 Furthermore, the biggest European economy, Germany, shows increasing signs of booming despite the problems in Southern Europe, with manufacturing orders up 5% compared to the previous month, up 10.4% compared to 3 months earlier and 30% compared to 12 months earlier.

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