New Zealand voter economic confidence jumps-poll

WELLINGTON, Oct 1 - New Zealand voters' confidence jumped last month as interest rates remained at a record low and the economy emerged from its longest ever recession, a survey showed on Thursday.

The One News-Colmar Brunton poll, taken last week, showed a net 57 percent of respondents were optimistic about the economy over the coming 12 months, compared with a net 38 percent in the previous survey taken in July.

The number of pessimists fell 9 percentage points to 13 percent, while the number of optimists rose 10 percentage points to 70 percent. The poll questioned 1,000 people and has a 3.1 percent margin of error.

New Zealand had been in recession since early last year, prompting the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to slash interest rates to a record low 2.50 percent.

Data released last Wednesday showed the economy posted a slender 0.1 percent growth in the second quarter, defying expectations of a sixth quarterly fall in a row. [ID:nSP227912]

Economic growth is expected to remain subdued for some time, and the central bank has pledged to leave interest rates at low levels until late 2010.

On Wednesday a survey showed business confidence rising to reach a decade high, with companies the most optimistic about their own outlook in almost five years, backing the view the country is emerging from recession. [ID:nWEL486291]

A separate part of the poll showed support for the the ruling National Party dipped slightly but it maintained a strong lead over the centre-left Labour Party, which it ousted from power in last November's election.

The latest poll put National's support at 54 percent, down 2 percentage point from the last survey in July, while Labour's support gained 2 percentage points to 33 percent.

For a summary of political polls click on <NZPOLL>