BNZ – BusinessNZ
Performance of
Manufacturing
Index

Camped behind the line – PMI

11 Oct, 2019
48.4
September
0.0

Monthly Change

contracting
same rate

New Zealand’s manufacturing sector displayed contraction for a third consecutive month, according to the latest BNZ – BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI).

The seasonally adjusted PMI for September was 48.4 (a PMI reading above 50.0 indicates that manufacturing is generally expanding; below 50.0 that it is declining).  This was also the same level of contraction as August.

BusinessNZ’s executive director for manufacturing Catherine Beard said that the September result showed both positive and negative signals.

“The sub-index of new orders (50.1) recovered from its decline in August to just keep its head above water for September.  Also, employment (50.0) showed no change following four consecutive monthly declines.  However, the weak new order results in recent months meant production (46.2) fell to its lowest result since April 2012.  In addition, deliveries of raw materials (46.4) fell to its lowest since March 2011.

“Overall, while it is good to see the sector not declining further, it remains stuck in a tight band of contraction.  The key to lifting it back into expansion will be a sustained boost to both new orders and production in the months ahead. 

The proportion of positive comments for September (48.8%) again improved from the previous month, although a number of businesses who outlined positive influences still regard the current climate as a mixed bag.

BNZ Senior Economist, Doug Steel said that “the October PMI is hardly what you would call strong. But it is certainly much better than the previous three months where the index languished below 50 which indicated a sector going backwards”.

Catherine Beard

Catherine Beard

Director, Advocacy BusinessNZ

BNZ - BusinessNZ PMI

Time Series Data

View seasonally adjusted and unadjusted time series data for the BNZ - BusinessNZ PMI

Manufacturing Snapshot

The PMI

New Zealand’s Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) remained weak in September. Indeed, its seasonally adjusted result, of 48.4, indicated contraction in the industry, for the third month in a row.
Read more

QSBO

Still, struggle was also the message from manufacturing firms in last week’s NZIER Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion (QSBO). Their reports of output over the trailing 3 months became even more contractionary. This was mirrored in reports of deliveries, employment, export sales, and new orders.
Read more

Looking forward

While the PMI and QSBO paint a broadly dour picture around manufacturing, each of them also held some hope that the worst might just be passing.
Read more

Capacity

The QSBO also showed a firming in manufacturers’ intentions to invest in plant and machinery, after some wobbles in the first half of this year. While the number on this was virtually flat, it was actually good enough to be around its long-term average.
Read more

Craig Ebert

Craig Ebert

Senior Economist, BNZ

Sponsor Statement

BNZ is delighted to be associated with the Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) and BusinessNZ.

This association brings together the significant experience of leading business advocacy body BusinessNZ, and business finance specialist BNZ.

We look forward to continuing our association with BusinessNZ and associated regional organisations, and to playing our part in the ongoing development of the New Zealand manufacturing sector.

PMI Time Series Table

The results are seasonally adjusted.

National Indicies Sep
2018
May
2019
Jun
2019
Jul
2019
Aug
2019
Sep
2019
BNZ – BusinessNZ PMI 51.9 50.3 51.1 48.1 48.4 48.4
Production 50.8 46.8 51.1 50.9 49.2 46.2
Employment 51.0 48.5 47.8 42.3 49.9 50.0
New Orders 52.1 50.4 52.3 48.7 45.9 50.1
Finished Stocks 53.4 56.5 57.1 53.0 52.8 48.8
Deliveries 52.6 51.2 48.5 48.9 47.9 46.4

BNZ – BusinessNZ PMI Time Series

September 2020 – September 2024

International Results

J.P. Morgan Global Manufacturing PMITM

01 Oct 2019
49.7

About the PMI

The BNZ – BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index is a monthly survey of the manufacturing sector providing an early indicator of activity levels.

A PMI reading above 50 points indicates manufacturing activity is expanding; below 50 indicates it is contracting.

The main PMI and sub-index results are seasonally adjusted.

Technical Contact

Stephen Summers
Economist, BusinessNZ

[email protected]

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Our Contributors

The BNZ – BusinessNZ PMI contains data obtained through BusinessNZ’s regional organisations