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New Zealand Shares Retreat; Fletcher Building Unit to Sell Cheltenham Property to Forza Capital

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-- New Zealand shares closed lower on Friday as doubts lingered around a US-Iran peace deal amid attacks in the Persian Gulf.

The S&P/NZX 50 Index fell 0.6% or 80.07 points to close at 13,190.54.

US President Donald Trump said that the ceasefire between Iran and the US was still in effect despite clashes between the forces of the two countries. Iran said the situation had returned to normal, according to a Reuters report. Brent crude oil futures rose 1.3% to $101.60 per barrel.

In domestic news, first home buyers in New Zealand represented 27.5% of property purchases across the country in the first quarter, slightly lower than the 28.2% record high in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to a Cotality-Westpac report.

New Zealand's total new lending increased to NZ$15.13 billion in March from NZ$11.05 billion in February, according to data from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. New lending fully secured by residential mortgage rose to NZ$8.68 billion in March from NZ$6.99 billion in the previous month.

In corporate news, Fletcher Building (ASX:FBU, NZE:FBU) said its Laminex Australia division has conditionally agreed to sell its Cheltenham, Melbourne property to Forza Capital for AU$53.8 million. The transaction is contingent upon Forza completing environmental due diligence and securing internal approvals by mid-June.

Bankers Investment Trust's (NZE:BIT) unaudited net asset value was 1.516 pounds sterling per share as of Wednesday. This included current financial year revenue items and excluded shares held in treasury.

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