New Zealand Manufacturing Growth Slows to Six Month Low
The Performance of Manufacturing Index fell to 50.5 in April from 52.8 in March. Businesses cited the Middle East conflict as a driver for higher fuel costs.
The New Zealand manufacturing sector nearly stalled in April, with activity falling to a six-month low. The Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) dropped to 50.5 from a revised 52.8 in March. This slowdown signals a fragile recovery as external geopolitical pressures disrupt domestic production and supply chains.
### Geopolitical Conflict Drives Up Costs The Bank of New Zealand-Business NZ survey showed that while the sector remained in expansion territory, the growth margin narrowed to 0.5 points above the contraction threshold. Rising freight and fuel costs linked to the Middle East conflict weighed heavily on industrial performance.
