WELLINGTON, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Growth in New Zealand's manufacturing sector levelled off last month, rounding out a solid year of expansion, according to the latest performance of manufacturing index (PMI) out Thursday.
The BNZ-Business New Zealand PMI for December was 54.5 on a scale where above 50 indicates expansion and below 50 contraction.
It was the same as November, and the joint lowest expansion level since October 2015, although the sector had remained in expansion in almost all months since October 2012.
Business New Zealand executive director for manufacturing Catherine Beard said the overall result for 2016 was encouraging.
"Activity in the manufacturing sector over 2016 averaged out at 56. This was up from 54.2 in 2015, but interestingly the same result as both 2014 and 2013. Overall, this shows how consistent and positive activity has been for the sector over the last few years," Beard said in a statement.
BNZ senior economist Craig Ebert said the December result capped off a positive year for the manufacturing sector.
"Indeed, since the survey started in 2002, last year's average has only been surpassed by 2004's 57.5," Ebert said in a statement.
