An index measuring consumer confidence in New Zealand improved in April, after falling in the previous two months, the latest survey released by ANZ Bank and Roy Morgan showed Thursday.
The ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer confidence index rose to 120.0 in April from 118.0 in the previous month.
A reading above 100 indicates optimism, while below that shows pessimism.
"This continues a theme evident since the start of the year, of sentiment remaining broadly stable at a respectable level. There is little sign that local consumers are ready to clock-off," ANZ senior economist Philip Borkin said.
The current conditions and future conditions indexes both rose 2.0 points, to 123.2 and 117.8, respectively in April.
Consumers' expectations about the economy's prospects over the year ahead strengthened to 9.0 in March from 3.0 in March. At the same time, their own financial expectations over the next twelve months fell slightly to 28 from 29.
General inflation expectations rebounded to 3.5 percent in April from an 11-month low in March, driven by a lift in oil prices. Similarly, nationwide house price expectations climbed further to 5.3 percent during the month.
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