Dun & Bradstreet says New Zealand's economy has improved this year, but risks remain.
The credit rating agency says the short-term outlook for New Zealand remains positive, but rising unemployment will cast doubt over the strength of the recovery.
It does not expect unemployment to return to pre-crisis levels until at least 2012.
General manager John Scott says New Zealand is classified a low risk environment for business investment, but competition will intensify as the rest of the developed world recovers.
The agency currently ranks New Zealand as the second safest country in the Asia-Pacific region, but 16 countries, including Australia, Canada and Switzerland, are ranked ahead on a global scale.
