UPDATE: New Zealand's unemployment rate falls to 11-year low

Mon, 05 Aug 2019

(Updates with additional detail from seventh paragraph) By Rebecca Howard Aug. 6 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand’s unemployment rate fell to an 11-year low while wages ticked up on the back of a rise in the minimum wage. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 3.9 percent in the three months ended June 30, from 4.2 percent in the March quarter, Stats NZ said in its household labour force survey. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had tipped the unemployment rate to lift to 4.3 percent. The New Zealand dollar rose to 65.68 US c...

Subscribe to BusinessDesk

Stay informed on business, government and financial developments across New Zealand.

Deeply researched, twice-edited and fact-checked news
Annual subscribers also receive a complimentary subscription to The Wall Street Journal
Personalised email news alerts, plus gift up to 5 stories a month to non-subscribers

You can cancel anytime.

We are serious about journalism.

Already a Subscriber ? Sign in here.

Name {{ registerForm.errors.get('name') }}

Email address {{ registerForm.errors.get('email') }}

Phone Number {{ registerForm.errors.get('phone') }}

Job Title {{ registerForm.errors.get('title') }}

Password Minimum password length of 8 characters.
Require at least one upper and lowercase, numeric, and special character. {{ registerForm.errors.get('password') }}

Repeat password {{ registerForm.errors.get('password_confirmation') }}

We had trouble validating your card. It's possible your card provider is preventing us from charging the card. Please contact your card provider or customer support.

Credit Card

Cardholder's name

{{ __(plans[index].name) | capitalize }} {{ plans[index].attributes.old_price | currency }} {{ plans[index].price | currency }}

All subscriptions auto renew but are easy to cancel.

I Accept The Terms Of Service

{{ registerForm.errors.get('terms') }}

Tax: {{ taxAmount(selectedPlan) | currency }}

Total Price Including Tax: {{ priceWithTax(selectedPlan) | currency }} {{ selectedPlan.type == 'user' && spark.chargesUsersPerSeat ? '/ '+ spark.seatName : '' }} {{ selectedPlan.type == 'user' && spark.chargesUsersPerTeam ? '/ '+ __('teams.team') : '' }} / {{ __(selectedPlan.interval) | capitalize }}

Economy

Willis to Breman: a 3am call would’ve been ‘totally fine’

Nicola Willis made the remarks immediately after the PM's State of the Nation address.

Dileepa Fonseka 4:28pm

Markets

F&P Healthcare appoints Anna Curzon

Curzon will fill the vacancy following the retirement of Pip Greenwood.

Staff reporters 9:32am

The Quiz Free

QuiznessDesk, Monday, Jan 19

Want to show your boss how clever you are?

The Quizmaster 9:15am

Sponsored

Generative AI will disrupt 90% of jobs - what it means for the future of work

Here’s what that means for the future of work in New Zealand.

Cognizant

Sponsored

AI is only as good as its data foundation

NZ leaders explain why clean, connected data drives AI value.

Cognizant

More Economy

Economy

Willis to Breman: a 3am call would’ve been ‘totally fine’

Nicola Willis made the remarks immediately after the PM's State of the Nation address.

Dileepa Fonseka 4:28pm

Retail

Banks see 2025 inflation at c.3.0%

Core inflation at or moving back to 1-3% range.

Andy Macdonald 5:00am

Economy

Manufacturing activity hits four-year high in December

December's activity for New Zealand’s manufacturing sector hit a four-year high.The seasonally adjusted BNZ – BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) for December was 56.1 (a PMI reading above 50.0 indicates that manufacturing is generally expanding; below 50.0 th...

Rebecca Howard 16 Jan 2026

Retail

EB Games demise sign of the times – analyst

All 38 EB Games stores in NZ will shut their doors by Jan 31, 2026.

Jaime Lyth 15 Jan 2026

UPDATE: New Zealand's unemployment rate falls to 11-year low

More Economy

Your company has a subscription

Team