14 Mar 2014

Manufacturing expands for 18th month in a row

12:16 pm on 14 March 2014

Activity in the manufacturing sector has expanded for the 18th consecutive month and employment in the sector is growing.

The latest BNZ-Business New Zealand seasonally adjusted performance of manufacturing index (PMI) stood unchanged from January at 56.2 in February, led by production and employment. A reading above 50 indicates expansion.

Four of the five sub-indices grew in the month, with employment recording 54.4 points, which the BNZ says is close to the high recorded for this sector in 2003.

However, the new orders index, at a reading of 56.9, slipped to its lowest level since June last year.

BNZ economist Doug Steel says the survey suggests the economic upswing for the sector has continued into 2014.