New Zealand's business confidence surged in Q3 2026, with a net 43% of survey firms expecting general business conditions to improve, up from 8% in Q2. The latest New Zealand Institute of Economic Research's (NZIER) Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion showed that the improvement came amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. A net 40% of firms expect general economic conditions to improve in the coming months, up from 14% in Q2.