New Zealand Stocks Rebound, End Up 0.9%

2026-05-21 05:42 By Chusnul Chotimah 1 min. read

The NZX 50 rose 117 points, or 0.9%, to close at 12,878 on Thursday, reversing morning weakness and snapping losses from the previous session after hitting its lowest level since March 30 a day earlier.

The broader index tracked gains on Wall Street overnight as inflation concerns eased after US President Trump stated that a deal with Iran could come soon, while Nvidia recorded earnings above expectations.

Fresh data also lifted sentiment, as New Zealand's trade surplus reached a record high, with exports climbing to an all-time high.

However, traders remained cautious ahead of the release of New Zealand's retail sales data on Friday, with the market expecting quarterly retail sales growth to ease in Q1.

Financials, industrials, and technology drove the index higher, with notable gains from AFT Pharmaceuticals (7.7%), Infratil (4.0%), Port of Tauranga (3.4%), Fletcher Building (2.7%), Freightways Group (2.1%), ANZ Group (1.6%), Westpac Banking Corp.

(1.3%), and Fisher & Paykel (1.0%).



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New Zealand Stocks Rebound, End Up 0.9%
The NZX 50 rose 117 points, or 0.9%, to close at 12,878 on Thursday, reversing morning weakness and snapping losses from the previous session after hitting its lowest level since March 30 a day earlier. The broader index tracked gains on Wall Street overnight as inflation concerns eased after US President Trump stated that a deal with Iran could come soon, while Nvidia recorded earnings above expectations. Fresh data also lifted sentiment, as New Zealand's trade surplus reached a record high, with exports climbing to an all-time high. However, traders remained cautious ahead of the release of New Zealand's retail sales data on Friday, with the market expecting quarterly retail sales growth to ease in Q1. Financials, industrials, and technology drove the index higher, with notable gains from AFT Pharmaceuticals (7.7%), Infratil (4.0%), Port of Tauranga (3.4%), Fletcher Building (2.7%), Freightways Group (2.1%), ANZ Group (1.6%), Westpac Banking Corp. (1.3%), and Fisher & Paykel (1.0%).
2026-05-21
New Zealand Stocks Hit Near 4-Week Low
The NZX 50 fell 22 points, or 0.2%, to 12,739 in Thursday morning trade, retreating for the second straight session and marking its lowest level since March 24, mainly weighed down by utilities, consumer staples, and communication services. Caution also prevailed ahead of the release of New Zealand's retail sales data on Friday, with the market expecting quarterly retail sales growth to ease in Q1. However, an upbeat session on Wall Street overnight helped limit the losses, as inflation concerns eased after US President Trump stated that a deal with Iran could come soon, while Nvidia recorded earnings above expectations. Fresh data also helped cap further declines, as New Zealand's trade surplus reached a record high, with exports rising to an all-time high. Among early losers were Tower Limited (-5.8%), Contact Energy (-4.3%), A2 Milk (-1.3%), Mercury NZ (-0.6%), and Gentrack Group (-0.5%).
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NZX 50 Closes at More Than 7-Week Low
The NZX 50 dropped 213 points, or 1.6%, to close at 12,761 on Wednesday, halting gains from the previous session and marking its lowest level since March 30, as it tracked declines on Wall Street overnight due to rising US Treasury yields amid escalating US-Iran tensions. Traders assessed the PBOC’s decision to hold interest rates steady following disappointing Chinese economic data released on Monday, as they looked for guidance on China’s economic outlook, given that the country is New Zealand’s top trading partner. Caution was also built ahead of the release of New Zealand's retail sales data on Friday, with the market expecting quarterly retail sales growth to ease in Q1. Almost all sectors traded in the red, with the biggest losses coming from consumer staples, communication services, industrials, and materials. Summerset Group plunged 5.5%, A2 Milk slumped 4.5%, Auckland International Airport fell 3.4%, Mainfreight dropped 3.1%, and ANZ Group declined 2.6%.
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