WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand employee confidence edged up to its highest since before the 2008 global financial crisis in the fourth quarter, a survey showed on Tuesday.
The Westpac-McDermott Miller employee confidence index inched up to 113.9 in the three months to the end of December, from 113.8 in the previous quarter.
Optimism towards strong jobs growth was still warring with low wage inflation, however.
"New Zealand workers are reporting that jobs availability is the best it's been in nearly a decade...," said Satish Ranchod, senior economist at Westpac, in a research note accompanying the release.
"Despite this improved jobs outlook, most households remain pessimistic about their chances of getting a pay rise in 2018."
A reading above 100 indicates more optimists than pessimists.
(Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield)
