Vaccine hopes take edge off business pessimism

Vaccine hopes take edge off business pessimism
Staff reporters
New Zealand firms are feeling less downbeat about the economy, according to the latest ANZ business confidence survey.Headline business confidence, at minus 6.9 percent, was 9 points higher than the preliminary November reading, while own activity was 4 points higher at a net 9.1 percent.Indicators related to investment, employment and profit were all higher. Business confidence is strongest since late 2017 – albeit still negative.“Excellent vaccine news may have had something to do with the lift seen across the survey this mon...