Weekly Digest – 6 December 2022

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward.

Commodities fall as the dollar rises, causing pain for exporters

ANZ’s monthly commodity price index fell 3.9 percent in November, to 11.5 percent lower than a year earlier. Export returns fell by 9.1 percent for the same month – a double whammy for exporters.

Significant happiness gap between big bosses and the rest of us at work

According to a new study, big bosses are quite happy – but middle managers and workers are not. The discrepancy is hurting the ability to attract, retain and enable talent at many companies.

Spike in demand for faster internet

Network lines company Chorus says that businesses are spending more on super fast, commercial grade, fibre network connections as more of their operations move online.

Big concerts are back but finding a place to stay is difficult

Rock legends Guns N’ Roses will play in Wellington on Thursday. They’re the first overseas superstars to play Sky Stadium since February 2020. The influx of concert-goers highlighted the strain on accommodation services in the capital due to a shortage of workers.

Substantial expansion underway in the hotel industry

Speaking of accommodation, the hotel industry is gearing up for a new period of growth, with several large hotel operators planning to open new facilities in the next year. Whether or not they’ll be able to find people to work at the new hotels is a different story.

Influx of working holidaymakers expected to help the economy

The government hopes that the 20,000 overseas workers who have arrived since the border opened in July will help boost the economy. More than 18,000 more are expected in the next couple of months.

Many households struggling to make ends meet

A survey by Payments NZ shows that one in four New Zealand households live hand-to-mouth and would not be able to cope with an unexpected large bill.

Christmas and New Year pay dates

The government has released a schedule of payments over the holidays. It can be found here.

Royal Commission to inform future government pandemic response announced

A Royal Commission has been announced to prepare New Zealand for future pandemics through lessons learned from COVID-19. A report will be prepared which will help inform any future Government’s pandemic response.