Credit card billings in New Zealand rose in September at their fastest rate in five months, coinciding with the start of the Rugby World Cup.
Reserve Bank of New Zealand data shows total billings rose a seasonally adjusted 1.6% in September, after falling a revised 1.4% in August.
Billings were 5.2% higher than in September 2010, from an annual gain of 4.7% in the previous month.
The local New Zealand dollar amount spent on overseas credit cards rose about 14% on the previous month.
