The merchandise (goods) terms of trade rose 1.3 percent in the June 2015 quarter, due to export prices rising more than import prices, Statistics New Zealand said today. This rise follows a 1.2 percent rise in the March quarter. Exported goods prices rose 2.1 percent, with dairy products (up 6.0 percent) contributing the most to the rise. “Although dairy prices were up in the June quarter, helped by a weaker dollar, they are 28 percent lower than in the March quarter last year,” prices manager Chris Pike said. “Excluding dairy, export prices fell about 0.1 percent in the June 2015 quarter.” The rise in dairy prices ... (full story)