Thaindian News

Sydney, Dec 1 (IANS) Manufacturing activity in Australia remained flat in November, a monthly survey of manufacturers in the country showed Thursday.

The Australian Industry Group/PriceWaterhouseCoopers Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) was broadly unchanged, up only 0.4 points to 47.8 in November, keeping it below the 50 points level, the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) said.

Readings below 50 indicate contraction in activity, said Xinhua.

The survey found eight of the 12 industry subsectors recorded activity declines, with construction materials, clothing and footwear and wood products and furniture performing the poorest in the month.

Transport equipment and miscellaneous manufacturers registered strong levels of activity in November.

Ai Group said Australia’s manufacturing continued to be impacted by a range of factors, including slow sales, skilled labour shortages and uncertainty over the impacts of the carbon tax.

Ai Group Chief Executive Heather Ridout said flat conditions in manufacturing should be addressed by policy makers.

“Manufacturing conditions clearly remain tough and have been so for much of the past year, raising critical issues for policy-makers and businesses alike,” she said in a statement Thursday.

“While the Australian PMI shows an easing in the pace of decline in current activity and new orders, employment levels fell sharply in November suggesting an ongoing loss of manufacturing capability,” she said.

“This highlights the importance of the federal government’s manufacturing taskforce in developing a long-term strategy for the industry.”