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Photo: Consumers are feeling more confident about the future but are still frustrated with the current economic conditions. The ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence index rose 3 points in September to 95.1 - a reading below 100 indicated pessimism. It was the third straight month of improvement but remained below the long-term average of 114. ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner said inflation and interest rates coming down was making consumers feel better about the future. "Essentially when inflation took off consumer confidence absolutely tanked and then as inflation was falling it was recovering until we got all those nasty recession headlines. But it does seem now that the interest rate cuts have injected a bit more optimism into the picture." But Zollner said it was important people re...

Photo: 123rf If New Zealand's gender pay gap continues to close at its current rate, it will be almost 100 years after the passing of the Equal Pay Act before women are paid the same as men. The Council of Trade Unions each year calculates the date that women start working for "free", because of the difference in their wages compared to what men earn. For all women, compared to all men, that date is 28 November. But compared to Pākehā men, Pasifika women start working for free from Friday. Asian women hit the "free" date on 21 October. The gender pay gap currently sits at 8.9 percent. It is down from 14.9 percent in 2008 but increased for a period during the pandemic. Council of Trade Unions policy director and economist Craig Renney said the gap could be caused by direct discrimination ...