NZ manufacturing 'muddling' along as activity contracts in November

NZ manufacturing 'muddling' along as activity contracts in November
By Paul McBeth Dec. 13 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand's manufacturing is "muddling" along as activity contracted last month in anticipation of a pick-up next year when Canterbury's reconstruction effort gathers pace. The Bank of New Zealand-Business New Zealand performance of manufacturing index fell 1.5 points to 48.8 in November, where a reading below 50 indicates a contraction of activity, and a figure above 50 implies expansion. The headline figure has barely budged since June, hovering at or around the breakeven 50 mark. The rebuild in...