Seasonally adjusted manufacturing sales increased 0.8 per cent or 146 million NZ dollars (110 US dollars) in the March 2007 quarter, according to a statement from Statistics New Zealand on Saturday, according to dpa. The rise followed a 2.2 per cent fall in the December 2006 quarter. With the effects of price changes removed at December 1997 quarter prices (reflecting the volume changes), seasonally adjusted manufacturing sales increased 0.3 percent. The industry group that recorded the largest seasonally adjusted sales increase was meat and dairy product manufacturing, which rose 2.1 per cent (102 million NZ dollars). A rise of 4.1 per cent (70 million NZ dollars) was recorded in the machinery and equipment industry for the March quarter, while sheet and fabricated metal product manufacturing was up 3.8 per cent (48 million NZ dollars). Both meat and machinery increases followed decreases in the December 2006 quarter. Despite the March seasonally adjusted increase, the manufacturing sales trend has eased in recent quarters, following a period of general increase since the June 2003 quarter Seasonally adjusted manufacturing data is the last economic indicator from Statistics New Zealand before gross domestic product figures are released by the government agency at the end of the month. -- SPA
