New Zealand Stocks End 0.2% Lower

The NZX 50 shed 24 points, or 0.2%, to close at 13,811 on Thursday, after gaining in the previous session, tracking a decline on Wall Street overnight as a softer-than-expected inflation rate was offset by rising oil prices. Traders continued to monitor the Middle East conflict as high oil prices persist, raising concerns over inflation expectations. High US Treasury yields pressured the broader index to deeper falls. Traders also anticipated US jobs data later this week for clues about the Fed's monetary policy decision at its upcoming meeting. Fresh data limited the fall, as New Zealand building permits rose at the fastest pace in four months in August. Energy, financial, and communication services mainly weighed on the index, with the bottom performers being Delegat Group (-3.2%), Channel Infrastructure (-2.5%), Westpac Banking Corp. (-2.3%), Meridian Energy (-1.6%), Infratil (-1.5%), EBOS Group (-1.3%), and Chorus (-1.3%).

The NZX 50 fell 54 points, or 0.4%, to 13,781 in Thursday morning trade, after gaining in the previous session, tracking a decline on Wall Street overnight as a softer-than-expected inflation rate was offset by rising oil prices. Traders continued to monitor the Middle East conflict, as rising oil prices raised concerns over inflation expectations. Wednesday's data pressured sentiment, as New Zealand's business confidence fell to a three-month low. Traders also anticipated US jobs data later this week for clues about the Fed's monetary policy decision at its upcoming meeting. Fresh data limited the fall, as New Zealand building permits rose at the fastest pace in four months in August. Almost all sectors traded in the red, with utilities leading the decline, followed by communication services, real estate, and financials. Among early losers were Meridian Energy (-1.7%), Hallenstein Glasson (-1.5%), Ebos Group (-1.3%), Fletcher Building (-0.9%), and Mainfreight (-0.6%).

The NZX 50 climbed 151 points, or 1.1%, to close at 13,813 on Wednesday, halting losses in the previous session and moving away from its lowest level since September 16, which it touched a day earlier. All sectors traded in the green, with consumer discretionary leading the gains, followed by communication services, technology, and financials. Easing oil prices fueled sentiment as concerns over inflation eased. However, traders shrugged off fresh data showing New Zealand's business confidence fell to a three-month low, though it remained in positive territory. A downbeat session on Wall Street overnight also limited the gain due to a surge in US Treasury yields. Hallenstein Glasson continued to surge (5.4%) after posting a 49.9% jump in net profit for the year ended August 1, 2026. Other top gainers were Delegat Group (3.3%), Summerset Group (3.3%), Channel Infrastructure (3.2%), and Chorus (2.6%). For the quarter, the index rose 1.4% in Q3, after falling in the prior quarter.