We compute classical real GDP business cycles and growth cycles, and contrast classical recessions with "technical" recessions. Calling a technical recession after two successive quarters of negative growth can provide conditionally useful information, but can also signal beginning and end points for a recession that are somewhat different from those computed by our Bry and Boschan method. Expansion and contraction phases of classical real GDP and employment cycles have, on average, had an 89% association, but individual cycle circumstances should additionally be assessed. There is prima facie evidence that the severity of New Zealand"s recessions has mattered for subsequent recovery paths, that severity of recessions has been more closely associated with their depth than duration, and that New Zealand"s average pattern of recovery has differed from that for U.S. NBER cycles.From our classical real GDP turning points, New Zealand"s most recent recession commenced with the March 2008 quarter and ended with the June 2009 quarter. The duration of this six-quarter recession has been somewhat longer than the average recession of 4.3 quarters; but its 4.0 percentage depth has been considerably less than those for the 1951/52 and 1948 recessions, somewhat below that for the 1976/78 episode, and marginally less than the average depth of 4.1 per cent. In terms of overall severity, a measure which reflects both duration and depth, this recession has been New Zealand"s fourth most severe. Its cumulated GDP loss of 11.5 per cent has been greater than the average loss of 10.4 per cent, but less severe than the losses for 1951/52 (37.2 per cent), 1948 (15.6 per cent) and 1976/78 (12.8 per cent).The recovery path from New Zealand"s most recent recession has differed from those of previous recoveries.
JEL Classification: E01, E24, E32