NZ business confidence has soared to a 20-year high, lifting hopes for profits, hiring and new investment.

The NZ dollar gained after weaker than expected US employment figures on Friday sapped optimism over the pace of the Fed's plans to scale back its asset purchase programme.

A boost in new apartment consents led to an 11 per cent rise in the number of new dwellings consented in November 2013, according to Statistics NZ.

Auckland's average house price rose to a record in December as property values benefited from a lack of supply heading into summer.

New Zealand's inbound migration remained elevated in November as new migrants kept arriving and fewer locals drifted across the Tasman.

Rebounding dairy production has driven the biggest gross domestic product (GDP) increase since the December 2009 quarter.

National house prices rose $17,475 last month to reach a $425k median. But are falling sales numbers a sign that new loan rules are starting to bite? (with new infographic)

The Reserve Bank has left the official cash rate unchanged at 2.5 per cent. Interest rates are expected to increase early next year.

The construction sector has welcomed the Reserve Bank's decision to exempt new home builds from low deposit loan restrictions, but one economist has warned of the dangers of watering down the policy.

New rules restricting low deposit home loans will now not apply to new home builds, says the Reserve Bank.