Market Update - September 2025
This quarter saw strong performance across global share markets, driven by easing interest rate expectations, continued momentum in the technology sector, and progress on key trade agreements. Despite pockets of volatility and geopolitical uncertainty, diversified investors were generally well rewarded for staying the course.
Closer to home, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand delivered two rate cuts, offering some relief to businesses and households amid a challenging economic backdrop. While growth remains subdued, the outlook is improving, and we continue to monitor developments closely.
Lately at Lifetime, we have been exploring behavioural insights such as recency bias and the dynamics of money personalities - factors that can influence decision-making more than we often realise. As always, our goal is to help you stay informed, confident, and aligned with your long-term financial goals so should you want to meet with us to consider your own money personality or biases, this would be a great conversation to have.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your portfolio in more detail, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Get in Touch
As always, if you have any questions or would like to discuss your portfolio in more detail, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Let's Talk
RBNZ Cuts OCR to 2.5%: What It Means for Borrowers
On 8 October 2025, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) cut the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by 50 basis points to 2.5%, its largest move in more than three years.
How much money do you really need to retire?
“How much do you think you will need to retire?” It’s the kind of question that can spark anything from a shrug to a nervous laugh around the dinner table. After all, most of us are so busy working hard, raising families, and paying the bills that it is easy to put retirement in the “future me will figure it out” basket.
But those dreams, whether it’s more time with the family, travelling, or simply slowing down, all come with a price tag. The real question is: how do you make sure you will have enough to live the retirement you picture?
Unlisted Property in KiwiSaver
Recently, questions have been raised about some KiwiSaver providers growing allocations to unlisted property such as residential developments and private commercial property funds. This shift has sparked discussion about how these assets fit within diversified investment strategies, particularly as investors weigh long-term growth against liquidity and transparency.