New Zealand's central bank just reported inflation hitting 3% for the September quarter—higher than hoped, but here's what matters for markets: they're signaling a drop back to 2% by mid-2026. That timeline is crucial. If inflation moderates as expected, it could ease pressure on rate decisions, which typically ripples through emerging markets and crypto sentiment. The gap between current levels and the target shows there's still work ahead, but the RBNZ's confidence in the disinflation path suggests they see light at the end of the tunnel. Worth watching how this shapes global monetary policy expectations—especially since these kinds of data points feed into broader risk-on or risk-off cycles across assets.