Employment confidence has bottomed out.
The Westpac-McDermott Miller index shows it's slipped to a level not seen since the post-2020 Covid lockdowns.
It's fallen in four of 11 regions —including Auckland— which dominated the national average.
EMA Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald told Mike Hosking business is still doing it hard, directly impacting the ability to hire and expand.
He says more than 60% of firms let staff go within the last year.
LISTEN ABOVE

Mike's Minute: We need to break this stereotype in NZ
02:45

Steve Price: Australian Correspondent on Erin Patterson receiving taxpayer-funded Ozempic while in prison
07:49

Pollies: National's Mark Mitchell and Labour's Ginny Andersen on National's first home buyer policy, Green's supermarket policy, PISA results, carbon credit auctions
11:24