New Zealand appears to have dodged recession after the economy 1.7 grew per cent in the June quarter.

Although many pundits had predicted new GDP stats showing New Zealand escaping the dreaded R-word, concerns remained about the country's economic performance.

Stats NZ released figures for the June quarter at about 10.45am.

And bank economists had taken divergent views, with some picking only 0.4 per cent growth and others forecasting 1.6 per cent growth.

A recession happened when two consecutive quarters of negative growth were recorded.

GDP rose 3.0 per cent in the last three months of 2021 but fell 0.2 per cent in the first three months of this year.

Activity indicators from business and consumer surveys had been very soft, as had retail sales and manufacturing data, ANZ senior economist Miles Workman said earlier this week.

Only the construction sector had continued to outperform expectations and Workman predicted 0.4 per cent growth.

But Westpac chief economist Michael Gordon highlighted the border reopening and resumption of overseas tourism as likely to boost travel services, accommodation, and arts and recreation.

He picked 1.6 per cent growth.

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"A result in line with our view would emphasise that the New Zealand economy remains far from recession. Indeed, the challenge is one of an economy that is running too hot," he said earlier.

The economies of Australia, Canada, the European Union and UK all grew in the second quarter but the United States' economy shrank by 0.4 per cent.

Yesterday, new stats showed exports rose in the June quarter but New Zealand still recorded a trade deficit.

The country's seasonally adjusted current account balance was a $7.1 billion deficit in the June 2022 quarter, down $1.7b from the previous quarter.

Food costs have risen dramatically in the past year with fruit and vegetable prices shooting up 15 per cent.