• ANZ Business confidence for February: 70.8 (prior was 64.1)
  • ANZ Activity Outlook for February: 58.5 (prior was 53.5)

It took me a few seconds extra to post this data due to having to do a double-take on that monster of a business confidence result.

New Zealand ANZ Business confidence 28 February 2014

HUGE result – the thing is a monster.

From ANZ:

  • A net 71 percent of firms are optimistic about general prospects – the highest reading since March 1994
  • Firms’ activity expectations regarding their own business (+59) rose to the highest reading since June 1994
  • Expected profitability (+45) is the highest since April 1994
  • A net 32 percent of businesses expect to be hiring more staff – the highest reading since December 1992
  • Investment intentions (+35) are the strongest since March 1994
  • Strong survey results are occurring despite headwinds from an elevated New Zealand dollar and the fact that a net 90 percent of respondents expect higher interest rates over the year ahead
  • The economy will surge in 2014 if readings from our composite growth indicator manifest into economic growth

NZD is hitting a 6-week high as I type

Maybe not to infinity and beyond, but NZ business confidence is very, very strong

Maybe not to infinity and beyond, but NZ business confidence is very, very strong