New Zealand employment rose 0.2% in Q4, below expectation of 0.3%. Employment rate was unchanged at 69.3%. Unemployment rate rose from 3.3% to 3.4%, above expectation of 3.3%. Participation rate was unchanged at 71.7%. Labor cost index rose 1.1% qoq, below expectation of 1.3% qoq.
“The unemployment rate, as measured by the Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS), has remained at or near historic lows since the September 2021 quarter,” work and wellbeing statistics senior manager Becky Collett said.
