Consumer confidence freefall stops, but mood still 'grim' says Westpac

Consumer confidence freefall stops, but mood still 'grim' says Westpac
Consumer confidence remains low with regions affected by the cyclone pessimistic about their region's future prospects. (Image: File)
Dileepa Fonseka
Consumer confidence remains at historic lows despite a small uptick in March, according to the Westpac McDermott Miller Consumer Confidence Index.The Westpac McDermott Miller consumer confidence index rose 2.1 points to 77.7 in March, up from 75.6 in December. It remained well below the long-run average of 108.8.A number below 100 indicates more New Zealanders are pessimistic about the economic environment.   Westpac Bank senior economist Satish Ranchhod said confidence levels remained at historic lows."To put the results of our...