NZX 50 Ends 0.7% Higher, Hits New Record High
2026-08-05 05:46
By
Chusnul Chotimah
1 min. read
New Zealand's stocks rose 94 points, or 0.7%, to close at 13,997 on Wednesday, gaining for the third consecutive session, supported by advances in healthcare, industrials, and materials.
The broader index hit a record high, tracking a rally on Wall Street overnight, buoyed by strong corporate earnings and lower oil prices.
Further declines in oil prices amid optimism over US-Iran peace talks also lifted sentiment, as easing inflation concerns tempered expectations of an interest rate hike.
However, the latest data further lifted sentiment, as New Zealand's unemployment rate increased to 5.6% in Q2, the highest since Q3 2015, reinforcing expectations that the RBNZ could lower interest rates, despite inflation accelerating to 4.1% in Q2, the highest since Q4 2023 and above the central bank's 1%–3% target range.
Among the top gainers were Ebos Group (2.4%), Freightways Group (2.4%), Fisher & Paykel (1.7%), A2 Milk (1.3%), Auckland International Airport (1.2%), and ANZ Group (0.5%).