NZ trade deficit hits three-year high in Sept

---

WELLINGTON, Oct 29 (AFP): New Zealand's trade deficit jumped to its highest level for nearly three years in September, official figures showed, as falling commodity prices hurt exports and imports surged on high oil prices.
The monthly deficit of 1.18 billion dollars (662 million US) for the month was the highest since November 2005, Statistics New Zealand said. The deficit was much higher than expected, with a Dow Jones Newswires poll of economists forecasting a shortfall of 550 million dollars.
For the year to September, the trade deficit came to 4.99 billion dollars, up from a revised 4.37 billion dollars in the year to August.