Otago's economic activity stands in the middle of the pack countrywide, its 3.3% annual gain almost mirroring the national average.
The economic activity report, plus separate recent manufacturing and service sector data, reveals middle of the road reports on aspects of Otago and Southland's economies.
Thirteen of 14 regions recorded an increase in economic activity in the quarter to March, while for the year to March all regions booked gains, from Taranaki's 1.2% through to the Bay of Plenty, 4.6%, Canterbury, 4.4%, and Auckland on 4.3%, ANZ regional trends research revealed.
ANZ chief economist Cameron Bagrie said: ''Business confidence remains elevated and is generally higher in urban centres.''
Nationally, annual growth slowed to a 21-month low of 3.5%, but with the South Island's growth of 3.7% year-on-year outstripping the North Island's 3.5%, Mr Bagrie said.
''Business sentiment across Otago remains higher than almost all other regions, and overall economic activity posted a solid gain in the March quarter, up 1.7%, quarter on quarter,'' he said.
After having been in the top four regions during 2014, Mr Bagrie said Otago's annual growth of 3.3% meant it had slipped to seventh across the country. For the quarter, Otago was fourth of the 14 with 1.7% growth; behind Nelson Marlborough's 2.8%, West Coast 2.7% and Manawatu Whanganui at 1.8%, and seventh of the 14 nationally at 3.3%.
In last week's BNZ BusinesNZ manufacturing performance index for April, Otago and Southland disappointed, with its index down to 41.9 (above 50 reflects expansion and below, contraction). Nationally, the index remained at 51.8.
The Otago Southland sub-indices of new orders, raw material deliveries and finished stock weighed heavy, all down on the previous two months.
Earlier this week the separate BNZ BusinesNZ services performance index, for Otago Southland, revealed its fifth consecutive month of expansion, at 52.9, compared with the national average at 56.5, which was down from the previous month.
While Otago Southland had robust activity reports from tourism, construction and homes and business services sectors, its retail and wholesale operators had a more mixed performance.
Mr Bagrie said while there had been a large increase for Otago in retail sales, for the quarter to December, the following quarter declined 0.5%, while nationally retailing was up 2.7%.
He noted the national unemployment rate remained ''steady'' at 5.8%, while Otago and Canterbury booked the lowest rates; Otago being 3.6%.
