Manufacturing Sales Decrease 2.0 Percent

Manufacturing Sales Decrease 2.0 Percent

Seasonally adjusted manufacturing sales for the March 2003 quarter decreased by 2.0 percent, compared with the December 2002 quarter, according to Statistics New Zealand.

With the effect of price changes removed, seasonally adjusted manufacturing sales decreased by 2.0 percent in the March 2003 quarter, compared with the December 2002 quarter. Nine out of 15 industries recorded decreases in seasonally adjusted sales in the March 2003 quarter, compared with the December 2002 quarter.

Petroleum and industrial chemical manufacturing (down $170 million), machinery and equipment manufacturing (down $128 million) and textile and apparel manufacturing (down $45 million) recorded the largest decreases.

Structural, sheet and fabricated metal product manufacturing (up $106 million) recorded the largest increase in seasonally adjusted sales.

Brian Pink
Government Statistician
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