Economic gloom stays high

File photo / NZ Herald

Consumer confidence remains barely in positive territory and the lowest in three years, this month's ANZ Roy Morgan survey shows.

The index for April stands at 101.4, unchanged from March. A level above 100 indicates more optimists than pessimists.

It was in decline for a year before the Christchurch earthquake in February and is now at its lowest level since the recession of 2008/09.

"The consumer is not going to be the bellwether of any recovery," ANZ chief economist Cameron Bagrie said.

Of the questions the survey asks, the gloomiest responses were to whether people were better off financially than a year ago and whether they expected economic conditions in the country to be better or worse in a year.

Perceptions of respondents' financial position deteriorated from a net 16 per cent negative in March to a net 21 per cent negative this month.

That is a guide to spending plans, and indicated that consumers would not drive economic recovery, Bagrie said.

Respondents were more optimistic about where the economy will be in a year.

Perceptions of the overall economic outlook in a year were marginally less negative than a month ago, a net 24 per cent expecting it to be worse compared with 28 per cent.

The Auckland region recorded the highest level of consumer confidence, overtaking Wellington.