A barometer of manufacturing activity continues to point to fair weather for the sector, despite a rising exchange rate against the aussie.
The BNZ-Business New Zealand performance of manufacturing index (PMI) rose 0.8 points to 56.7 last month. Above 50 shows expansion.
Every region registered strong expansion, BNZ economist Craig Ebert said. "The days of it being just Canterbury would appear to be long gone."
All industry types were comfortably against the breakeven 50 mark too, he said. The strong 68.2 recorded by food manufacturing fitted with reports that rural production had bounced back well from the drought.
The PMI's employment index improved 1.2 points to 53.3.
