The New Zealand manufacturing numbers have decreased for a third continuous quarter, this time being their lowest level in over a decade, headed by falls in the paper and chemical sectors.

The productions seasonally adjusted decreased by 1.4% in the quarter ended 30th September, as found out by Statistics New Zealand. The cost of production increased by 1.3%, headed significantly by rises in the prices of dairy and meat.

According to the department, the production numbers have been decreasing since the September ended quarter of 2007 and in the last three years it has reduced by 12.6%. If meat and dairy are not accounted for, then also the number of manufacturing sales has decreased by 17% through the same time duration.

As told by Philip Borkin, an economist with Goldman Sachs & Partners, the weak domestic economy, as well as the fact that the Australian economy is in the middle of a mid-cycle soft patch, now seems to be weighing on activity. He further said that they at present have 0.2% quarter-on-quarter GDP growth managed in, and they feel that today's data is widely consistent with it.