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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