The unemployment rate in New Zealand came in at a seasonally adjusted 5.8 percent in the first quarter of 2015, Statistics New Zealand said on Wednesday.

That missed forecasts for 5.5 percent, and it was up from 5.7 percent in the previous three months.

Employment was up 0.7 percent on quarter – also missing expectations for 0.8 percent and down from 1.2 percent in Q4. On a yearly basis, employment added 3.2 percent versus forecasts for 3.3 percent and down from 3.5 percent in the previous three months.

The participation rate was a record high 69.6 percent – beating forecasts for 69.4 percent, which would have been unchanged.

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