New Zealand's payments position with the rest of the world could be heading for a blow-out.
Trade figures for September issued on Wednesday show a deficit of $1.1 billion - double the amount forecast by economists' forecasts.
For the year to September, the trade deficit came to $4.99 billion, compared to a revised $4.37 billion in the year to August.
Radio New Zealand's economics correspondent says the current account deficit balance is a key indicator of a country's ability to generate income from transactions with the rest of the world.
New Zealand's 8.4% current account deficit is already very high by developed world standards.
Deutsche Bank forecasts the deficit could grow to 9% of GDP.
Radio New Zealand's economics correspondent says this would put this country in a similar league to economic basket cases like Pakistan and Spain and undermine investors' confidence in the economy.
