The BNZ-Seek Employment Report for February warns that job seekers may be entering a disappointing period. They say their data remain entirely consistent with very low employment growth and an increase in the unemployment rate to over 5% from its current 4%. People are certainly sensing that tightness and adjusting their spending in preparation. ANZ's analysis of consumer spending patterns through its electronic card transactions shows that it is only the tourism sector that is a bright spot. Even though some minor recovery is going on in most other categories (except clothing), the gains are actually less than ... (full story)