Key market and commercial developments

Welcome to our Q1 edition for 2026

New Zealand's foreign investment regime entered a new era last week, with landmark reforms to the Overseas Investment Act coming into force on 6 March. Alongside a stable Official Cash Rate of 2.25% and a NZ$200 billion infrastructure pipeline now open to private capital, the fundamentals for investing in New Zealand are as strong as they have been in years. This edition also covers the geopolitical backdrop and what the Middle East conflict means, and doesn't mean, for New Zealand. Plus we include a busy deals roundup with Simpson Grierson advising on several major transactions in recent months.