NZX 50 Ends Near 4-Week High After Jobs Data

New Zealand's stocks rose 64 points, or 0.5%, to close at 13,888 on Monday, halting losses in the previous two sessions, tracking a rise on Wall Street on Friday after softer-than-expected labor data dampened expectations of a Fed rate hike at the September meeting. The broader index was mainly supported by gains in healthcare, financials, and industrials. Positive trade data from China, New Zealand's top trading partner, with export growth remaining robust, continued to help cap the losses, while inflation eased to a six-month low. However, traders anticipated the release of US inflation data this week for clues about the Fed's monetary policy at the upcoming meeting, while rising oil prices capped the gains amid uncertainty over whether to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Among the top performers were Ryman Healthcare (2.4%), Infratil (2.2%), Ebos Group (1.8%), Fisher & Paykel (1.2%), F&C Investment (0.9%), Hallenstein Glasson (0.8%), and Mainfreight (0.7%).

New Zealand's stocks climbed 34 points, or 0.2%, to 13,858 in Monday morning trade, halting losses in the previous two sessions, tracking a rise on Wall Street on Friday after softer-than-expected labor data dampened expectations of a Fed rate hike at the September meeting. Positive trade data from China, New Zealand's top trading partner, with export growth remaining robust, continued to help cap the losses, while inflation eased to a six-month low. However, traders anticipated the release of US inflation data this week for clues about the Fed's monetary policy at the upcoming meeting, while they continued to monitor Strait of Hormuz developments. Materials, utilities, consumer discretionary, and real estate mainly drove the index. Contact Energy rose 1.1% after posting a 27.8% jump in net profit, following the acquisition of Manawa Energy, completed in July 2025. Other early gainers included South Port NZ (0.8%), Ebos Group (0.7%), and Port of Tauranga (0.7%).

New Zealand's stocks fell 134 points, or 1.0%, to close at 13,824 on Friday, retreating for the second consecutive session, tracking a decline on Wall Street overnight amid rising oil prices, which reinforced expectations that the Fed could raise interest rates at its upcoming meeting. Rising oil prices also pressured sentiment as concerns over inflation raised expectations that the RBNZ will hike interest rates. Caution also prevailed ahead of the US jobs data due later today and China's inflation data due on Sunday. However, positive trade data from China, with export growth remaining robust, helped cap the losses. Almost all sectors traded in the red, including industrials, energy, healthcare, and consumer staples. Among the bottom performers were Auckland International Airport (-2.5%), A2 Milk (-1.6%), Fisher & Paykel (-1.4%), Westpac Bank Corp. (-1.1%), Mainfreight (-1.0%), and ANZ Group (-0.7%). However, the index rose 0.9% for the week after falling in the previous week.