Promising new figures on unemployment, construction and home loans signify the region’s insulation from the worst of Covid-19’s economic disruption, and suggest it could again, if needed, withstand lockdown-level restrictions. Palmerston North had 2347 residents on the jobseeker benefit in July, a 36 per cent increase from July 2019. Palmerston North City Council approved a record 118 building consents for new properties in June. Throughout New Zealand building consent numbers crept up 16 per cent in the same period. David Unwin/Stuff Credit reporting bureau Centrix’s data showed 5.2 per cent of Palmerston North mortgages needed a mortgage ‘holiday’.

Source: Stuff August 21, 2020 16:52 UTC