Total job advertising in New Zealand fell slightly in November after a 0.3% fall in the previous month, with the surge seen earlier this year starting to flatten.
The ANZ Job Ads series showed newspaper advertising rose 0.2% in November after falling in the preceding two months, while at the same time, nationwide internet job advertising fell by the same amount after a 0.1% fall in October.
The Otago Daily Times contributes to the series.
ANZ senior economist Mark Smith said due to the vagaries of seasonal adjustment, the total job ads rose in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
But looking through the monthly volatility, it was a tale of one city.
''The trend for job ads is flat in Canterbury and Wellington, but rising steadily in Auckland, with a widening disparity evident.''
Trend growth in overall national job advertising suggested the strongest employment growth was in the past, he said.
Labour supply had also been growing strongly, courtesy of high migration.
The ANZ expected the unemployment rate to ease only modestly from the current level of 5.4% in the coming year, Mr Smith said.
