New Zealand’s manufacturing sector displayed expansion for the first time in 23 months, according to the latest BNZ – BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI). The seasonally adjusted PMI for January was 51.4 (a PMI reading above 50.0 indicates that manufacturing is generally expanding; below 50.0 that it is declining). BusinessNZ’s Director, Advocacy Catherine Beard said that after the longest continued period of contraction, the manufacturing sector has finally broken the trend and started 2025 on a positive note.