New Zealand’s benchmark S&P/NZX 50 edged up 0.1% to 13,461 on Monday, recouping some losses from the prior session, supported by gains in health care, industrials, communications, and consumer services. Key contributors included EBOS Group (+1.4%), Contact Energy (+1.2%), Fisher & Paykel (+0.8%), Mainfreight (+0.8%), Fletcher Building (+0.5%), Spark NZ (+0.5%), and Auckland International Airport (+0.1%). Meanwhile, oil prices held onto gains amid Middle East tensions, stoking concerns over rising energy costs, inflation pressures, and broader market uncertainty. Geopolitical risks and rising protectionism highlighted at Davos are weighing on global risk sentiment, with potential spillovers through currency volatility, export uncertainty, and softer equity momentum. Investors remain focused on this week’s local releases, including trade balance, business confidence, and consumer confidence.
