Economic activity lifted further in the final months of 2011 with the South Island faring better than the North.
The National Bank's latest regional trends report shows nationwide economic activity rose 0.2% in the final three months of 2011.
The South Island recorded a 0.8% lift in economic activity while the North Island economy inched up 0.1%.
Annual economic growth rose from 0.6% to 0.8%.
Annual growth picked up in 11 of the 14 regions surveyed, led by Auckland, which remained top of the regional growth rankings.
Northland remained at the bottom of the table.
