Seasonally adjusted electronic card transactions in New Zealand grew 1.7% month-over-month in May 2026, recovering from a downwardly revised 1.2% fall in the previous month. The rebound was supported by recoveries in spending on consumables (0.9% vs. -2.1% in April), hospitality (2.5% vs. -1.7%), durables (2.7% vs. -0.9%), motor vehicles (1.6% vs. -4.0%), and apparel (3.1% vs. -1.2%). Additionally, fuel spending continued to decline due to the impact of the Middle East conflict, though at a slower pace (-0.8% vs. -1.5%). On an annual basis, total electronic card spending rose 3.3%, accelerating from a 2.0% increase in April.