FX.co ★ New Zealand Private Sector Grows for 3rd Month

The BusinessNZ Performance of Composite Index was 52.5 in August 2026, unchanged from July. This marked the third consecutive month of expansion in the private sector. However, manufacturing growth eased to a three-month low, even as activity continued to expand despite sustained pressure from high fuel costs. In contrast, the services sector recorded its strongest rise in eight months and its third straight month of expansion, with two of its five sub-indices in positive territory. New orders posted the highest reading, followed by stocks. In comparison, supplier deliveries, employment, and activity/sales all remained in contraction. The latest results underscore that cost-of-living pressures, elevated interest rates, and ongoing election-related uncertainty continue to weigh heavily on sentiment.