Otago's service sector finished 2016 on a high, heading the four regions across the country and well ahead of the national average. Nationally, the BNZ-BusinessNZ Performance of Services Index rose 0.3% to 58.4. ''This completed a very positive year, with the average performance of services index for the past year sitting at 59, the same as 2015,'' she said. Otago Southland's average activity during 2016 was also 2.4 points higher than the average for New Zealand, which was 56.6 points. Mrs Nicholls said construction industry suppliers reported positive sales, particularly with regard to house renovations.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 25, 2017 17:07 UTC