New Zealand Stocks Retreat

2025-07-18 06:12 By Judith Sib-at 1 min. read

The S&P/NZX 50 index edged 0.2% lower to close at 12,880 on Friday, ending a three-day winning streak and retreating from a near five-month high reached in the previous session.

The pullback was largely attributed to profit-taking following the recent rally.

Meanwhile, in the US, strong economic data released overnight highlighted the resilience of the American economy despite President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Back home, investors look ahead to New Zealand’s second-quarter CPI report due on Monday, expected to show an annual increase of 2.8%, up from 2.5%, driven mainly by higher food and electricity costs.

However, core inflation is forecast to be softer, leaving the door open to a rate reduction in August.

On the corporate front, several large-cap stocks weighed on the index, including Spark NZ (-1.75%), Meridian Energy (-1%), Auckland Intl Airport (-1.5%), and Ebos Group (-1.1%).

Despite Friday’s dip, the NZX 50 still posted a weekly gain of 1.5%.



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