NZX 50 Edges Higher to Start the Week

New Zealand’s stocks climbed 34 points, or 0.2%, to 13,858 in Monday morning trade, halting losses in the previous two sessions, tracking a rise on Wall Street on Friday after softer-than-expected labor data dampened expectations of a Fed rate hike at the September meeting. Positive trade data from China, New Zealand’s top trading partner, with export growth remaining robust, continued to help cap the losses, while inflation eased to a six-month low. However, traders anticipated the release of US inflation data this week for clues about the Fed’s monetary policy at the upcoming meeting, while they continued to monitor Strait of Hormuz developments. Materials, utilities, consumer discretionary, and real estate mainly drove the index. Contact Energy rose 1.1% after posting a 27.8% jump in net profit, following the acquisition of Manawa Energy, completed in July 2025. Other early gainers included South Port NZ (0.8%), Ebos Group (0.7%), and Port of Tauranga (0.7%).





