Job numbers have picked up slightly, but not everyone's benefiting

Latest figures from Stats NZ show the number of filled jobs rose slightly in November, for the first time in eight months.

Service sector jobs rose, but primary industries and goods industry jobs declined.

ASB senior economist Mark Smith says hiring also dropped more than 11-percent among 15-to-19 year olds, and almost five percent among 25-to-29 year olds.

He says younger age groups appear most vulnerable to the labour market downturn, and that's definitely playing out at the moment.