The unemployment rate fell to 4.8% in the June 2017 quarter (down from 4.9% in the March 2017 quarter) Statstics New Zealand says - the lowest unemployment rate since December 2008. The employment rate fell to 66.7% (4000 fewer people employed) in the June 2017 quarter, down from 67.1% in the March 2017 quarter. "The unemployment rate for women fell to 4.9%, with 10,000 fewer women unemployed - the lowest it's been since March 2009,'' Ramsay said. In contrast, the male unemployment rate rose to 4.7% (7000 more men unemployed). In the year to the June 2017 quarter the labour cost index increased 1.7%, up from 1.6% in the year to March 2017.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 02, 2017 00:00 UTC