MNI BRIEF: NZ Q4 Unemployment Rises To 5.4%
Feb-03 22:12By: Daniel O'Leary
RBNZ+ 1
New Zealand’s unemployment rate rose 10 basis points to 5.4% in the fourth quarter, up from 5.3% in Q3, data released by Stats NZ on Wednesday showed.
The underutilisation rate was unchanged at 13.0%, while the employment rate edged up to 66.7% from 66.6% in the previous quarter.
In the year ended December 2025, all salary and wage rates, including overtime, increased 2.0%. Average weekly earnings for full-time equivalent employees rose to NZ$1,712 from NZ$1,651, while average ordinary time hourly earnings increased to NZ$43.99 from NZ$42.57.
