NZX 50 Ends at 7-Week Low, Down 1.6%
2026-05-18 05:52
By
Chusnul Chotimah
1 min. read
The NZX 50 fell 202 points, or 1.6%, to close at 12,763 on Monday, declining for the fifth consecutive session and marking its lowest level since March 30, tracking losses in U.S.
futures ahead of Nvidia’s earnings results and amid renewed escalation in US-Iran tensions.
Fresh data also pressured sentiment after New Zealand’s private sector continued to contract, with the services sector shrinking for the third straight month, though at a softer pace, while factory activity expanded at its slowest pace in seven months.
Disappointing Chinese economic data also weighed on sentiment, while investors awaited the PBOC’s interest rate decision later this week.
Almost all sectors traded in the red, led by consumer staples, followed by consumer discretionary and information technology.
Among the top losers were A2 Milk (-5.1%), Mainfreight (-4.3%), Ebos Group (-3.4%), Freightways Group (-3.0%), Auckland International Airport (-1.6%), Fisher & Paykel Healthcare (-1.4%), and Infratil (-0.9%).