Shoppers walk in front of a retail shop displaying a sale sign in central Wellington, New Zealand, July 3, 2017.
Annual growth increased to 1.8%, Statistics New Zealand data showed, above expectations of 1.2%.
"It's a victory for the New Zealand economy and for the people who work hard every single day to deliver high quality jobs," Finance Minister Grant Robertson told reporters.
The handling of the economy has been a central theme in this year's election with the opposition criticising the government's role in record high inflation and the slowing economy.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) has been forecasting the economy would slip into recession in the second half of 2023.
Persons:
David Gray, Gabrielle, Grant Robertson, Lucy Craymer, Sonali Paul
Organizations:
REUTERS, Statistics, New Zealand, U.S . Federal, Labour, New, Finance, ASB, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Thomson
Locations:
Wellington , New Zealand, WELLINGTON, Statistics New Zealand, Zealand, New Zealand