New Zealand finance minister to visit U.S. amid gov't shutdown

New Zealand Finance Minister Bill English will travel to the United States next week to assess how the latest global economic developments will affect New Zealand. English will attend meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank governors in Washington as the United States approaches its debt ceiling on Oct. 17 amid a government shutdown and budget deadlock. He will also meet senior representatives of credit ratings agencies and the New York Stock Exchange in New York, speak with investment and business leaders in Boston and visit the Federal Reserve in Washington. "Compared to many developed economies, New Zealand is well placed with a growing economy and government books that will be back in surplus next year. But there is no room for complacency and we need to continue improving our competitiveness and financial stability," English said in a statement on Friday. "Ongoing global challenges will have an impact on New Zealand, and I expect that to continue for some time. So I'm keen to hear first-hand from the policy makers and business people dealing directly with these deep-seated issues." English leaves New Zealand on Oct. 7 and returns on Oct. 15.