Banking & Regulation: The Reserve Bank has published near-final Deposit Takers Act 2023 standards and licensing questions for regulated deposit takers, with the DTA licensing process set to open on 1 June 2027 and final standards due in May 2027. Housing & Local Infrastructure: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says councils will get support over development contributions, but he won’t pause fast-track housing referrals; Auckland Council is also investigating how it will communicate service limits on out-of-sequence projects, with a potential $5b infrastructure bill flagged. Agriculture & Climate Risk: Westpac warns El Niño could hit pasture growth and lift costs for dairy, sheep and beef, potentially slowing GDP growth by up to one percentage point in a worst case. Primary Sector Costs: Research highlights how imported phosphate prices are rising and points to struvite recovered from wastewater as a possible partial alternative to conventional fertiliser. Electricity Policy: The Major Electricity Users’ Group calls for tighter network-efficiency rules, stronger firming capacity requirements and more scrutiny of distribution charges. Auckland Transport: City Rail Link weekday rush testing shows about 20% more passengers than a typical Monday peak, with the morning running smoothly. Energy & Investment: Lodestone Energy is considering an IPO to back utility-scale solar growth and become the first NZX-listed solar-focused company. Immigration Tech Overhaul: Immigration NZ has paused a $336m visa processing rebuild after savings were overstated by $134m, with a rethink of the business case and technology choices underway. Retail & Consumer Trends: ANZ transaction data suggests online retail is driving the recovery, with online spending up 12% in the first half of 2026.