NZX 50 Ends Lower, Posts Weekly Loss

New Zealand stocks dropped 112 points, or 0.8%, to close at 13,768 on Friday, extending losses from the prior session and marking their lowest level since August 17, mainly weighed down by utilities, technology, and financials. Traders were cautious ahead of the RBNZ's monetary policy decision next week, with the market expecting the central bank to raise interest rates by 25 bps after raising them in May. Caution was also building ahead of a speech from the Fed’s chair at the Jackson Hole Symposium for clues on the central bank’s interest rate decision at its upcoming meeting. Among the biggest laggards were Infratil (-1.9%), Meridian Energy (-1.9%), and Fisher & Paykel (-0.9%). Port of Tauranga dropped 0.3% after reporting a fall in net profit. Channel Infrastructure jumped 6.9% after reporting a surge in net profit for H1 2026. Sky Network TV jumped 5.7% after reporting more than double the net profit. For the week, the index shed 1.5%, marking its first weekly decline in a month.

New Zealand stocks advanced 105 points, or 0.8%, to 13,985 in Friday morning trade, halting losses in the prior session and tracking a rally on Wall Street overnight, due to a surge in tech stocks. Optimism over earnings results, as traders continued to brace for the release of earnings reports from some companies later today, lifted sentiment. However, traders anticipated the RBNZ's monetary policy decision next week. Caution was also building ahead of a speech from the Fed’s chair at the Jackson Hole Symposium for clues on the central bank’s interest rate decision at its upcoming meeting. Energy, healthcare, and communication services mainly drove the index. Channel Infrastructure surged 3.4% ahead of the release of its earnings report, while Port of Tauranga rose 1.5% despite reporting a fall in net profit. Sky Network TV jumped 7.4% after reporting more than double the net profit. For the week, the index is heading for a muted finish after posting its third consecutive weekly gain.

New Zealand stocks dropped 133 points, or 1.0%, to close at 13,880 on Thursday, erasing gains in the morning session and from the previous two days, as traders took profit after the index hit a record high a day earlier. The broader index declined from the 14,000 level reached for the first time on Wednesday, supported by the materials sector. However, a rise in US stock futures following a surge in Nvidia shares after its earnings report limited the fall. Almost all sectors traded in the red, led by consumer staples. Precinct Properties NZ plunged 4.3% after its earnings report. Other bottom performers were A2 Milk (-3.4%), Meridian Energy (-2.7%), EBOS Group (-1.3%), Infratil (-1.3%), ANZ Group (-1.2%), and Fisher & Paykel (-1.0%). Meanwhile, Genesis Energy rose 1.8% after reporting higher earnings, though profit was halved due to a valuation hit. Summerset Group surged 8.0% after reporting a 92% surge in net profit for the six months ended June 30, 2026.