🇳🇿 New Zealand's Jobs Market: A 10-Year High for Unemployment! 🚨

Fresh data from Stats NZ just dropped for the December 2025 quarter, and it’s a mixed bag that has macro-traders and "Kiwi" () watchers on high alert.

📊 The Key Numbers (Q4 2025)

Unemployment Rate: Jumped to 5.4% (up from 5.3% in Q3). This is the highest level since September 2015!

Employment Rate: Rose slightly to 66.7%, meaning jobs are being added, but not fast enough to keep up with a growing workforce.

Underutilisation Rate: Steady at 13.0%, showing there’s still plenty of "slack" in the economy.

Wage Growth: Annual wage inflation slowed to 2.0%—now significantly trailing the 3.1% CPI inflation rate. 📉

📉 Why Does This Matter for Markets?

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) is in a tough spot. While they want to fight inflation, the weakening labor market is screaming for a pause or a pivot.

The "Wait and See" Approach: Most analysts now expect the RBNZ to hold interest rates steady at their upcoming February 18 meeting.

Crypto Correlation: Historically, when traditional fiat currencies like the NZD face domestic economic weakness, we see a "flight to digital quality." If the RBNZ is forced to stay dovish while the US Fed remains hawkish, we might see New Zealand investors leaning harder into Bitcoin as a hedge against a devaluing local currency.

💡 Trader’s Takeaway

The "green shoots" of employment growth (+15,000 jobs) are being overshadowed by the rising number of job seekers. We are seeing a "loosening" of the labor market that hasn't been seen in a decade.#TrumpEndsShutdown #USIranStandoff #KevinWarshNominationBullOrBear #xAICryptoExpertRecruitment #TrumpProCrypto

Macro Watch: Keep a close eye on the February 18 RBNZ decision. If they signal that the 5.4% unemployment rate is a major concern, expect a spike in volatility across $OG and $BTC pairs.