新西兰年度通胀在第三季度放缓，幅度超过预期，因燃油价格回落，为政府在距选举不足两周的时间里提供了短暂的喘息。
New Zealand’s annual inflation slowed more than expected in the third quarter as fuel prices retreated, offering a brief respite to the government little more than two weeks from an election.
新西兰统计局周四在惠灵顿公布的数据显示，消费者物价指数较去年同期上升3.7%，低于第二季度的4.1%，也低于经济学家预测的3.8%。环比过去三个月，物价上涨0.7%，而预测为0.8%。
The Consumers Price Index climbed 3.7% from a year earlier, down from 4.1% in the second quarter and less than economists’ forecast of 3.8%, Statistics New Zealand data showed Thursday in Wellington. Prices advanced 0.7% from the preceding three months, compared with the 0.8% estimate.
报告发布后，新西兰元立即小幅走低，惠灵顿时间上午10:46的买入价为56.93美分。
The New Zealand dollar edged lower immediately after the report, buying 56.93 US cents at 10:46 a.m. in Wellington.
通胀略有放缓可能对执政的国家党是个好消息，该党自视为卓越的经济管理者，但在11月7日投票前未能在民调中取得明显领先。然而，价格压力的缓解预计将是短暂的，一些经济学家预测，由于中东局势升级导致燃油成本近期激增，消费者物价指数在第四季度将突破4.5%。
Slightly slower inflation might be good news for the ruling National Party, which considers itself a superior economic manager, but has been unable to establish a clear lead in opinion polls ahead of the Nov. 7 vote. However, the lull in price pressures is tipped to be brief, with some economists projecting the CPI will soar past 4.5% in the fourth quarter following the recent surge in fuel costs because of escalating Middle East tensions.