-- ニュージーランドの労働市場調査データは、3月期の国内総生産(GDP)が0.8%増加するという同行の予測を裏付けるものだと、ウェストパック銀行は水曜日に発表した。 ニュージーランド統計局のデータによると、季節調整済みの失業率は3月期に5.3%となり、2025年12月期の5.4%から低下した。これは2021年12月以来初めての減少となる。 同行は、市場と銀行は横ばいを予想していたものの、今回の結果はニュージーランド中央銀行が2月に発表した金融政策声明の予測と一致していると述べた。 失業率の低下は、雇用者数の増加と労働力参加率の低下という「異例の組み合わせ」によるものだ。 調査における雇用指標は、3月期の活動の活発化をほぼ一貫して示しており、総労働時間は0.8%、フルタイム換算労働者数は0.7%、雇用者数と労働時間は0.6%それぞれ増加した。報告書によると、2026年初頭には経済が勢いを取り戻し始めていたことを示す様々な証拠があるものの、中東情勢の混乱が今後数ヶ月間の経済活動とインフレ圧力の見通しを不透明にしているという。
Related Articles
Australian Shares Rally; DigiCo Infrastructure REIT Agrees to Sell Chicago Facility for $750 Million
Australian shares rallied on Wednesday as banks' shares gained after the rate hike by the Reserve Bank of Australia, and US President Donald Trump cited "great progress" towards a peace deal with Iran.The S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 1.3%, or 113.10 points, to close at 8,793.60.Brent crude oil futures fell below $108 per barrel. President Trump said that a US naval operation to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz would be paused to secure a peace deal with Iran to end the conflict.On the domestic front, Australia's industry activity remained in contraction in April, as persistent weakness in manufacturing and construction and rising fuel-driven cost pressures outweighed early signs of stabilization in orders and employment, the Australian Industry Group said.The Australian Industry Index rose by 9.8 points in April but remained firmly in contraction at negative 24.4. The Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index rose by 0.7 to negative 27.9, while the Australian Performance of Construction Index jumped 37.8 to negative 19.3.In company news, DigiCo Infrastructure REIT (ASX:DGT) agreed to sell its Chicago facility for $750 million to a third-party North American fund manager. The sale, expected to reach financial close in the first quarter of fiscal year 2027, is anticipated to release net cash proceeds of AU$360 million post repayment of asset-level debt and increase available liquidity to AU$900 million. Its shares gained 23% at market close.DPM Metals (ASX:DPM) reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of $0.76 per basic share, up from $0.32 a year earlier. Revenue for the three months ended March 31 was $310.4 million, compared with $144.1 million a year earlier. Its shares closed down 2%.Lastly, NexGen Energy (ASX:NXG) reported on Wednesday a first-quarter loss of CA$0.24 per share, compared with CA$0.09 a year earlier. The company said it does not have any revenue except for interest income. Its shares fell 3% on market close.
Metro Pacific Investments' Core Income Rises 5% in Q1 2026
Metro Pacific Investments (PSE:MPI) posted consolidated core net income of 6.9 billion pesos for the first quarter of 2026, up 5% from 6.6 billion pesos a year earlier, according to a Hong Kong bourse filing Wednesday by First Pacific (HKG:0142).The company's power business under Meralco posted 11.4 billion pesos in consolidated core net income, up 2%.The water business under Maynilad posted 4 billion pesos in core net income, up 10%.Meanwhile, the toll business under Metro Pacific Tollways posted flat core net income year on year, the firm said.First Pacific owns 49.9% of Metro Pacific.
Vishnu Chemicals Extends Maintenance Shutdown at Parwada Plant
Vishnu Chemicals (NSE:VISHNU, BOM:516072) has extended the temporary shutdown for routine maintenance at its manufacturing plant in Parwada, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, according to a Tuesday filing on Indian bourses.Shares of the company fell nearly 1% in Wednesday's trade.However, the company expects operations at the plant to resume within a week, the filing said.