NZ manufacturing activity jumps to 14-month high in December, led by new orders

NZ manufacturing activity jumps to 14-month high in December, led by new orders
Tina Morrison
By Tina Morrison Jan. 21 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand manufacturing activity rose to a 14-month high in December, with an uptick in new orders pointing to further improvements ahead. The BNZ-BusinessNZ performance of manufacturing index rose to a seasonally adjusted 56.7 last month from 54.9 in November, and was at its highest level since October 2014. A reading of 50 separates expansion from contraction. The manufacturing gauge averaged 54.2 over last year, lagging behind the 56 level of the previous two years, as growth moderated in...