By Swati Pandey
SYDNEY, Dec 22 (Reuters) - New Zealand's economy surged ahead in the third quarter as consumers spent with abandon while homebuilding and tourism boomed, cementing expectations the country's central bank was done cutting interest rates.
Official data on Thursday showed gross domestic product rose 1.1 percent, above economists' forecast of a gain of 0.9 percent, putting it among the rich world's fastest growing developed nations.
That was the fifth straight quarter of growth at 0.7 percent or more. The annual pace was a rapid 3.5 percent, fuelled in part by super-strong population growth of 2.1 percent.
The solid data should give the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) further reason to not lower interest rates when it meets in February, even as inflation and wages growth remain subdued.
The RBNZ has already slashed interest rates thrice this year to a record low 1.75 percent to help stoke inflation, which, at just 0.2 percent sits well below the bank's target band of 1 to 3 percent. grew 1.2 percent in the quarter while higher visitor numbers boosted tourism exports and retail, trade and accommodation services.
Growth in the overall services sector, which makes up 70 percent of the economy, rose 1.1 percent, while construction jumped 2.1 percent.
A 0.7 percent decline in goods exports, which were hit by falling daily and meat shipments, was practically the only soft spot and that should change this quarter with dairy prices recovering.