The economy barely avoided dipping into negative territory in the second quarter of this year, says Statistics NZ, which has just released GDP stats showing paltry growth of just 0.1 per cent.

New Zealand's economy probably slowed from its surprisingly robust first-quarter pace in the second three months of 2011 as construction stayed weak and manufacturing continued to tread water.

The volume of manufacturing sales fell 0.7 per cent in the June 2011 quarter, after a 1.4 per cent rise in the March 2011 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today.

About 900 F & P Healthcare production, maintenance and distribution workers at the company's Highbrook plant have given 14 days notice of strike action over a pay dispute.