News

New Zealand Jobless Rate Eases to 4.7% in Q1
New Zealand's unemployment rate decreased to 4.7 percent in the first quarter of 2021, from 4.9 percent in the previous period and compared to market expectations of 4.9 percent. The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed people fell by 5 thousand in the March 2021 quarter to 135 thousand, while the number of employed people rose by 15 thousand to 2,750 thousand. The employment rate increased 0.3 percentage point to 67.1 percent, while the labour force participation rate edged up to 70.4 percent from 70.2 percent.
Published on 2021-05-04

New Zealand Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.9%
New Zealand's unemployment rate decreased to 4.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020, from 5.3 percent in the previous period and compared to market expectations of 5.6 percent. The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed people fell by 10 thousand in the December 2020 quarter to 141 thousand. However, the number of unemployed was still 25 thousand higher than it was a year ago. Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted number of employed people rose by 17 thousand. The employment rate increased 0.4 percentage point to 66.8 percent, while the labor force participation rate edged up to 70.2 percent from 70.1 percent.
Published on 2021-02-02

New Zealand Unemployment Rate Climbs to 4-Year High
New Zealand's unemployment rate increased to 5.3 percent in the third quarter of 2020, from 4.0 percent in the previous period and compared to market expectations of 5.4 percent. It was the highest jobless rate since the last quarter of 2016, as the number of unemployed people rose by 37 thousand to 151 thousand, the largest quarterly jump ever as the COVID-19 crisis hit the labor market; while employment dropped by 22 thousand to 2.709 million, the biggest quarterly fall since the March 2009 quarter. Meantime, the underutilization rate rose to 13.2 percent from 12.0 percent. The employment rate fell 0.7 percentage points to 66.4 percent, while the labor force participation rate rose 0.2 percentage points to 70.1 percent.
Published on 2020-11-03

New Zealand Jobless Rate Falls to 4% in Q2
New Zealand's unemployment rate fell to 4 percent in the second quarter of 2020 from 4.2 percent in the previous period and well below market expectations of 5.8 percent. The number of unemployed people dropped by 6 thousand to 111 thousand. Meantime, the underutilisation rate rose to 12 percent from 10.4 percent in the first quarter, the largest quarterly rise since the series began in 2004, while hours worked were down by a record 10.3 percent.
Published on 2020-08-04

New Zealand Jobless Rate Rises to Over 1-Year High of 4.2%
New Zealand's unemployment rate rose to 4.2 percent in the first quarter of 2020 from 4.0 percent in the previous period but below market expectations of 4.3 percent. It was the highest jobless rate since the last quarter of 2018, amid the coronavirus crisis as the number of unemployed people increased by 5 thousand to 116 thousand. The unemployment rate for men went up to 4.1 percent from 3.8 percent in the prior quarter, while for women was unchanged at 4.3 percent. Meantime, the underutilisation rate jumped to 10.4 percent from an 11-year low of 10 percent in the December 2019 quarter; and the labour force participation rate increased to 70.4 percent from 70.1 percent.
Published on 2020-05-05

New Zealand Jobless Rate Falls to 4% in Q4
New Zealand's unemployment rate fell to 4 percent in the last quarter of 2019 from 4.2 percent in the previous period and below market expectations of 4.2 percent. The number of unemployed people dropped by 3 thousand to 111 thousand, driven by 3,000 fewer unemployed women. The jobless rate for women declined to 4.3 percent from 4.5 percent in the prior period; while for men was steady at 3.8 percent. Meantime, the underutilisation rate went down to 10 percent from 10.4 percent in the third quarter, its lowest level since the June 2008 quarter; and the labour force participation rate decreased to 70.1 percent from 70.4 percent.
Published on 2020-02-05

New Zealand Jobless Rate Rises to 4.2% in Q3
New Zealand's unemployment rate rose to 4.2 percent in the third quarter of 2019 from an 11-year low of 3.9 percent in the previous period, and above market expectations of 4.1 percent.
Published on 2019-11-05

New Zealand Jobless Rate Falls to 11-Year Low
New Zealand's unemployment rate fell to 3.9 percent in the second quarter of 2019 from 4.2 percent in the previous period, compared to market expectations of 4.3 percent. That was the lowest jobless rate since the second quarter of 2008, when it was 3.8 percent.
Published on 2019-08-05

New Zealand Jobless Rate Falls to 4.2% in Q1
New Zealand's unemployment rate fell to 4.2 percent in the first quarter of 2019 from 4.3 percent in the previous period, matching market expectations and close to its 10-year low. The jobless rate dropped to a 10-year low of 4.0 percent in the quarter ending in September 2018.
Published on 2019-05-01

New Zealand Jobless Rate Rises to 4.3% in Q4
New Zealand's unemployment rate rose to 4.3 percent in the last quarter of 2018 from an upwardly revised 4.0 percent in the previous period and above market expectations of a 4.1 percent.
Published on 2019-02-07

New Zealand Unemployment Rate Drops to Near 10-Year Low
New Zealand's unemployment rate declined to 3.9 percent in the third quarter of 2018 from a downwardly revised 4.4 percent in the previous period and well below market expectations of 4.5 percent. It was the lowest jobless rate since the second quarter of 2008 as the number of unemployed went down by 13 thousand to 109 thousand and employment rose by 29 thousand to 2.663 million. The employment rate rose to a record 68.3 percent in the third quarter and the labour force participation rate went up to 71.1 percent.
Published on 2018-11-06

New Zealand Jobless Rate Edges Up to 4.5%
New Zealand's unemployment rate edged up to 4.5 percent in the second quarter of 2018 from a nine-year low of 4.4 percent in the previous period and above market expectations of 4.4 percent. It ended a five-quarter streak with falling unemployment rate, as the number of unemployed went up 4,000 to 124 thousand and employment rose by 13 thousand to 2.631 million. The labor force participation rate edged up 10 bps to 70.9 percent in the second quarter.
Published on 2018-07-31

New Zealand Jobless Rate Falls to 9-Year Low
New Zealand's unemployment rate edged down to 4.4 percent in the first quarter of 2018 from 4.5 percent in the previous period, matching market expectations. This was the fifth consecutive quarter the unemployment rate has fallen and was the lowest rate since the last quarter of 2008, as the number of unemployed went down by 3,000, or 2.6 percent, while employment went up 0.6 percent (vs 0.5 percent in Q4). The labor force participation rate edged down 0.1 percentage points to 70.8 percent in the first quarter.
Published on 2018-05-01

New Zealand Jobless Rate at 9-Year Low in Q4
New Zealand's unemployment rate edged down to 4.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2017 from 4.6 percent in the previous period, below market expectations of 4.6 percent. It was the fourth straight decline and the lowest jobless rate since the last quarter of 2008, as the number of unemployed fell by 2.8 percent on quarter (vs -1.2 percent in Q3) while employment went up 0.5 percent (vs 2.2 percent in Q3). The labor force participation rate edged down 10 bps to 71.0 percent in the fourth quarter.
Published on 2018-02-06

New Zealand Unemployment Rate Falls in Q3
New Zealand's unemployment rate edged down to 4.6 percent in the third quarter of 2017 from 4.8 percent in the previous period, below market expectations of 4.7 percent. It was the third straight decline and the lowest jobless rate since the last quarter of 2008, as the number of unemployed fell by 1.2 percent on quarter (vs -2.2 percent in Q2) while employment went up 2.2 percent (vs -0.2 percent in Q2). The labor force participation rate increased to 71.1 percent in the third quarter after decreasing to a one-year low of 70.0 percent in the previous three months
Published on 2017-10-31

New Zealand Jobless Rate Edges Down To 8 1/2-Year Low
New Zealand's unemployment rate edged down to 4.8 percent in the second quarter of 2017 from 4.9 percent in the previous period, matching market expectations. It was the lowest jobless rate since the last quarter of 2008, as the number of unemployed fell by 2.2 percent on quarter while employment went down 0.2 percent. The labor force participation rate decreased to a one-year low of 70.0 percent.
Published on 2017-08-01

New Zealand Jobless Rate Falls To 4.9% In Q1
New Zealand's unemployment rate decreased to 4.9 percent in the first quarter of 2017 from 5.2 percent in the previous period, below market expectations of 5.2 percent. It was the lowest unemployment rate in six months and the second lowest in more than 8 years, as the number of unemployed fell by 4.4 percent on quarter while employment went up 1.2 percent. The labour force participation rate increased to an all-time high of 70.6 percent.
Published on 2017-05-02

New Zealand Jobless Rate Rises To 5.2% In Q4
New Zealand's unemployment rate increased to 5.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016 from 4.9 percent in the previous period, worse than market expectations of 4.8 percent. It was the highest unemployment rate since the March quarter of 2016, as the number of unemployed rose by 7.6 percent while employment went up 0.8 percent. The labour force participation rate increased to an all-time high of 70.5 percent.
Published on 2017-01-31

New Zealand Jobless Rate Falls to Nearly 8-Year Low in Q3
New Zealand's unemployment rate fell to 4.9 percent in the third quarter of 2016 from a downwardly revised 5.0 percent in the previous quarter, better than market expectations of 5.1 percent. It was the lowest unemployment rate since the December 2008 quarter, as the number of unemployed declined by 2.2 percent while employment grew by 1.4 percent.
Published on 2016-11-01

New Zealand Unemployment Rate Down to 5.1% in Q2
The jobless rate in New Zealand fell to 5.1 percent in the second quarter of 2016 from a downwardly revised 5.2 percent in the previous period and below market expectations of 5.3 percent. Employment increased by 2.4 percent, partially reflecting improvements to the Household Labour Force Survey, including better identification of self-employed people.
Published on 2016-08-17