The latest NZIER Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion (QSBO) shows an improvement in business confidence in the final quarter of 2019, with a smaller proportion of businesses expecting a worsening in general economic conditions. Meanwhile firms’ own trading activity, which provides a better indication of demand in the New Zealand economy, remained soft. The proportion of businesses reporting weaker demand in December 2019 remained at 11 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, suggesting annual GDP growth of around 1 percent towards the end of 2019. Improvement in manufacturing sector confidence A net 20 percent of ... (full story)