Auckland businesses are shaking off winter gloom, lifting confidence that jobs and investment will improve in the year ahead.

Simon Bridges, CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber, says the November survey points to “a business community that’s not out of the woods, but certainly no longer stuck in the darkest part of the forest.” Back in August, confidence was “in a real trough.”

Those rating their confidence as negative or very negative have dropped to 44%, down from 64% in August, while neutral sentiment has climbed to 39%.

More than half of respondents, 54%, now expect the New Zealand economy to improve over the next 12 months.

Performance is still mixed, but the outlook is firmer.

Revenue expectations have strengthened, with 56% of businesses expecting higher revenue next year.

Hiring plans are also improving, with 47% planning to take on staff.

“That’s businesses backing themselves,” Bridges says.

The major drag remains costs.

A total of 82% expect costs to rise over the next year, driven by labour, compliance and input costs.

Demand, productivity, cash flow, inflation and global pressures remain the main concerns, with energy affordability and late payments stuck at the same levels as three months ago.

Bridges describes these as “chronic irritants that chip away at resilience.”

“Businesses are doing their bit,” he says, but they “need real momentum from government too.”

After a tough two years, he calls this “the first solid sign that confidence is returning,” and warns it must not be short-lived.

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