Illustration depicting New Zealand currency

Figures for gross domestic product – the broad measure of economic activity – are due out today.
Photo: RNZ / Quin Tauetau

The economy is expected to have posted modest growth at the end of last year, but the budding recovery may stall because of the Middle East conflict.

Figures for gross domestic product – the broad measure of economic activity – are due out today.

A 0.3 percent increase is expected for the three months ended December.

Growth has been driven by the primary and tourism industries, but economists say the Iran war has already dimmed the relevance of the numbers.

They said the prospect of much higher inflation, reduced business and consumer activity, and prolonged uncertainty threatens to delay or even derail future growth.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.