NZ labour market reasonably robust, won't rattle central bank, economists conclude

NZ labour market reasonably robust, won't rattle central bank, economists conclude
Jonathan Underhill
By Jonathan Underhill May 4 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand’s labour market is in reasonable health, despite a higher jobless rate in the first quarter, with employment growing faster than the total working-age population, economists say. Seasonally adjusted employment grew by 1.2 percent, or 28,000, in the first quarter to about 2.4 million people, or 65.1 percent of the working-age population, which climbed by 0.8 percent, or 29,000, to about 3.69 million in that time, government figures show. Unemployment increased by 7.4 percent, or 10,0...