Small businesses in 'hard out survival mode'

Small businesses reliant on fourth quarter earnings are entering the period of 'highest risk'. (Image: Getty)

Fri, 22 Oct 2021

Many small businesses reliant on festive period earnings are entering the highest risk period for failure, a senior economist has warned.New Zealand is a nation of small businesses. There are about 530,000 businesses with fewer than 20 employees, making up 97% of all businesses in the country, according to figures from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).Of these, 388,000 businesses have no employees and about 100,000 have one to five.BNZ head of research Stephen Toplis said a significant number of small businesses were r...

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