Value of vehicle imports grows
The value of imported vehicles, parts and accessories totalled $699 million last month for an increase of $97m, or 16 per cent, when compared to January 2025.
The category helped increase the total value of merchandise goods imports for January by $126m, or 1.9 per cent, from a year ago to $6.7 billion.
Stats NZ’s latest seasonally adjusted figures show imports of vehicles, parts and accessories from China rose by $69m year-on-year, while such commodities from the European Union climbed by $47m.
The automotive sector also recorded an increase in the value of imports for the three months ended January 2026, rising 13.4 per cent from the same period a year earlier to hit $2.25b.
The tally for the 12 months to the end of January was up 4.1 per cent from $8.62b to $8.98b.
As for other categories, petroleum products last month gained an extra $9m, or one per cent, from a year ago to total $876m.
Overall exports last month climbed $157m, or 2.6 per cent, to reach $6.2b. This meant the monthly trade balance was a deficit of $519m.
The quarterly trade balance for January 2026 was a deficit of $932m, while the annual figure for the year to the end of last month was a deficit of $2.31b.
