New Zealand business confidence worsens in April: survey

NEW Zealand business sentiment was a touch worse in April as inflation pressures remain intense and there are expectations of further rises, an ANZ Bank survey showed on Thursday. The survey’s headline measure showed a net 42.0 per cent of respondents expected the economy to deteriorate over the year ahead. It compared with a 41.9 per cent pessimism level in the previous poll in March. A net 8.0 per cent of respondents expected their own businesses to grow in the next 12 months, from 3.3 per cent last month. REUTERS