Consumer confidence up, says TV poll

Consumer confidence rose in August amid expectations a record-low jobless rate and rising house prices will buoy incomes, according to a TV3 poll.

About 32 per cent of the 1000 people polled expect the economy will improve in the next three months.

That's up from 29 per cent in the previous poll in early July and is the highest since September last year.

About 40 per cent expect the economy will worsen.

The poll was conducted from August 24 to August 30. About 40 percent of those surveyed expect unemployment will fall over the next three months, the most optimistic reading since January 2005.