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The consumer durables shares gained the most on New Zealand's Exchange, rising almost 2% on Wednesday.Shares of KMD Brands (NZE:KMD, ASX:KMD) rose nearly 2% in recent trade.On the flip side, the industrial services sector struggled, shedding nearly 2%.Ventia Services Group (NZE:VNT, ASX:VNT) shares fell almost 2% in recent trade.
A total of 2,869 metric tonnes (MT) of products were sold during the Global Dairy Trade (GDT) pulse auction held Tuesday, with supply ranging from 2,550 MT to 3,000 MT, according to data from the trading platform.The average selling price for anhydrous milk fat was $6,922 per MT, butter averaged $5,950 per MT, and skim milk powder and whole milk powder averaged at $3,318 per MT and $3,621 per MT, respectively.
New Zealand shares ended flat on Tuesday while most Asian stocks saw gains as investors hope for a US-Iran peace agreement.The S&P/NZX 50 Index was little changed to close at 13,017.26.Dialogue between the US and Iran is "still alive," even after the failed negotiations that took place in Islamabad, Pakistan, according to a Monday Reuters report, citing sources familiar with the matter.Also, US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran "called this morning" and wants to make a deal, but he will not agree to an agreement that does not forbid Iran from having a nuclear weapon, according to a Monday Reuters report."The failed weekend talks did not produce a deal, but they also did not close the door on diplomacy, and that is enough for equities to keep pushing higher for now," said Charu Chanana, Saxo's chief investment strategist, as quoted by Reuters in a separate report.In domestic news, the share of first home buyers' property purchases in New Zealand in the March quarter was over 27%, buoyed by lower house prices, reduced mortgage rates, and policy measures, Cotality said.In corporate news, Winton Land (NZE:WIN, ASX:WTN) received conditional approval from the expert panel for the Ayrburn Screen Hub under the Fast-track Approvals Act, with the decision now subject to a 20 working day appeal period.Westpac Banking (NZE:WBC, ASX:WBC) will boost credit provisions for customers in energy-intensive sectors due to the volatility and economic uncertainty created by the Middle East conflict.
The share of first home buyers' property purchases in New Zealand in the March quarter was over 27%, buoyed by lower house prices, reduced mortgage rates, and policy measures, Cotality said in a Tuesday report.More than half of first home buyer loans over January and February were done at less than 20% equity, according to figures from the central bank.First home buyers' share of property purchases in the wider Wellington area was 37% during the period, while it was 33% in Hamilton.Mortgaged multiple property owners' share of property purchases increased back to around 24%, roughly in line with their long-term average. The shift back to 100% deductibility for interest costs supported this increase.Relocating owner-occupiers accounted for around 26% of property purchases in the first quarter, below their average of around 28%.However, the conflict in the Middle East has put an extra layer of uncertainty over a potential economic recovery, as well as the housing market outlook, the report cautioned. Property values this year may now be closer to flat, or even slightly down again, rather than a modest gain of up to 5%.
Distribution services shares gained the most on New Zealand's Exchange, rising almost 2% by midday Tuesday.Shares of Vulcan Steel (NZE:VSL, ASX:VSL) rose nearly 2% in recent trade.Meanwhile, the finance sector fell 1%.Westpac Banking (NZE:WBC, ASX:WBC) was down almost 2% in recent trade.
New Zealand's services sector further shrank in March as the impact of the Middle East conflict was felt across business sectors.The BusinessNZ Performance of Services Index dropped to 46.0 from 47.6 in February, according to a Monday press release from BusinessNZ."The services sector in New Zealand is clearly feeling the effects of the conflict in Iran," BusinessNZ Chief Executive Officer Katherine Rich said. "The industries that deal mainly in discretionary spending have been especially impacted, and this is likely to reflect a lack of consumer confidence."The sectors involved in discretionary spending are accommodation, cafes and restaurants, and cultural and recreational services.Travel and airlines are also affected as the U.S.-Iran conflict triggered oil price shocks, especially at the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical oil passageway. Earlier this month, Air New Zealand (NZE:AIR, ASX:AIZ) said it will make minor adjustments to about 4% of its May and June flights due to rising jet fuel costs.All of the five sub-indexes are below the neutral reading of 50, with activities and sales the weakest at 44.6, BNZ said.The war in Iran also widened the pessimism among survey respondents as negative comments grew to 69.1% in March from 56.4% in the previous month. The response indicated that the economy could soon be contracting, BNZ's head of research, Stephen Toplis, said.The war is expected to bring more pressure on inflation, especially as the U.S. and Iran could not reach a deal during the two-week ceasefire. President Donald Trump ordered a blockade at the Strait of Hormuz as talks between the two countries crumbled.Analysts from ANZ expect that the inevitable rise in inflation could prompt three straight interest rate hikes this year. The bank predicts that the Reserve Bank of New Zealand is likely to add 25 basis points in its monetary policy in July, September and October, bringing the official cash rate to 3%.Westpac also expects the RBNZ to add 25 basis points until the OCR reaches 3.5%."We continue to believe that the same shape of the latter part of the interest rate cycle where the OCR rises above our assessment of neutral (which remains at 3.75%), peaking at 4.25% in December 2027 and remaining at 4.25% through 2028 before returning to 3.75% in 2029," Westpac's chief economist for New Zealand, Kelly Eckhold, said.
For the week ahead in Asia, markets will be focused on a slate of monthly data that will help investors assess how the Middle East conflict is feeding into economic conditions across the region.The week opens Monday with New Zealand's services sector survey and India's March inflation print, as well as a scheduled speech by the Bank of Japan's governor that could offer clues on the timing of a possible rate hike.Attention then shifts Tuesday to China's trade figures and a monetary policy decision in Singapore, alongside business and consumer confidence readings from Australia and industrial production data from Japan.Midweek brings trade and labor market data from India and South Korea, while Thursday is headlined by China's first-quarter GDP report and a broad batch of activity indicators.Friday rounds off the week with Malaysia's preliminary first-quarter GDP and inflation data, as well as Singapore's March trade numbers, including non-oil exports.Here's what to watch in the week ahead.MONDAY, April 13The week kicked off with a report indicating New Zealand's services sector shrank for the third consecutive month as the conflict in the Middle East impacted consumer confidence.The BusinessNZ Performance of Services Index for March came in at 46.0, down 1.6 points from February and 6.6 points lower than the long-term average of 52.8."So poor was the PSI reading that our combined PMI/PSI indicator is suggesting the economy could soon be contracting," said Stephen Toplis, BNZ's head of research.Outside of New Zealand, markets will be on the look out for India's March inflation print.A consensus compiled by Trading Economics indicated that the pace of price increase may have quickened during the month to around 3.5% year on year from the 3.2% recorded in February.The March print will give observers the first real look on how the Indian economy is faring after war broke out in the Middle East.While overall inflation is expected to rise, core inflation--which excludes the impact of some items--is likely to clock in at below 4%, giving the Reserve Bank of India room to shy away from a hawkish stance near term, economists at DBS said, the Wall Street Journal reported.Meanwhile, markets will also be closely following a scheduled speech by Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda on the possible timing of a rate hike. The central bank is reportedly considering a rate hike this month to counter price pressures from the Iran war.Elsewhere, Indonesia reported a 6.5% annual rise in retail sales during February, quickening from the 5.7% growth witnessed a month prior.TUESDAY, April 14China's trade figures will capture headlines Tuesday.The world's second-largest economy could report a trade surplus of $112 billion in March, higher than the $91 billion captured in February, according to a consensus compiled by Trading Economics.Despite the rising surplus, economists at ING said they expect March export growth to moderate from the figures seen in the first two months of the year.A monetary policy decision and an advance estimate of GDP growth in the first quarter is expected in Singapore.Unlike other economies, Singapore tweaks its currency exchange rate rather than its domestic interest rates to control inflation. While the Monetary Authority of Singapore has not adjusted its policy since April 2025, it is now expected to tighten the valves in response to the Middle East conflict, according to a survey of economists compiled by Bloomberg, CNA Digital reported.Meanwhile, Singapore's economy likely slowed during the first three months of the year due to a pullback in manufacturing activity, the WSJ reported, citing Barclays economists.The city-state's economy expanded 6.9% year-on-year in the final quarter of 2025 and by 5% during the entirety of the year.In January, the city-state had upgraded its 2026 forecast to a range of 2% to 4%, with growth outlook raised to 3%. However, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said in March the government will reassess its GDP forecast following the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran.A pair of reports covering business and consumer confidence in Australia are expected.Consumer confidence was near the bottom of its 18-month range in March, and the April survey was shaping up for a bigger drop as consumers reckoned with the implications of the conflict in the Middle East, the National Australia Bank said in a preview.Meanwhile, the March business confidence report should capture the flow through impacts from the energy crisis and higher borrowing costs in Australia, Westpac said."Widespread supply disruptions and soaring energy costs are likely to be reflected in higher business input and output costs," the firm said in a note.Japan's industrial production stats will also be in focus on Tuesday, while India will release wholesale price inflation data the same day.WEDNESDAY, April 15A slew of macro data from India and South Korea will be in the news Wednesday.India will report its trade figures for March which could show a widening of the trade deficit to $32.75 billion from $27.1 billion in the month prior, according to a consensus compiled by Trading Economics.Labor data, due the same day, could show unemployment climbed to 5.1% from 4.9% in February, according to another Trading Economics consensus estimate.South Korea will similarly report March labor data and export and import prices.Unemployment in South Korea has been on a downward trajectory since December when it stood at 3.3%. The most recent reading was of 2.9%.Japan's machinery orders stats are also scheduled for release Wednesday.THURSDAY, April 16Markets will turn their attention to a flurry of data coming in from China, including the closely watched GDP growth rate for the first quarter of the year.Analysts place China's Q1 GDP growth rate at 4.9% year on year, rising from the 4.5% recorded in the closing months of 2025, the WSJ reported. Economists at DBS attributed the expected rise in growth to a jump in overseas demand for Chinese goods, the WSJ added.The GDP release will be accompanied by China's house price index, offering an insight into new home prices across 70 cities that markets use as a benchmark. New prices are expected to stay in negative territory, though any moderation would be viewed positively, economists at ING said.Additional releases will include China's industrial production data, retail sales figures, and unemployment stats."Other than industrial production, which we expect to grow around 5.5% YoY, economic activity data is likely to remain rather soft in March," ING said in a preview.Labor data from Australia is also expected Thursday.The National Australia Bank expects the jobless rate to stay at 4.3%, with employment rising by 25,000. "While the survey period captures the escalation in the Middle East conflict, it is likely too early to see a response to this reflected in the data," NAB said in a note.The Reuters Tankan Index for April, a key gauge of Japanese business confidence, will be due the same day.FRIDAY, April 17The week rounds off with Malaysia's preliminary GDP growth rate figures for the first quarter of the year.Economists at ANZ expect first-quarter growth to ease to 5.3% from the 6.3% recorded in the final quarter of 2025, the WSJ reported. Despite stronger agriculture output, the Malaysian economy saw industrial and retail activity moderate during the opening months of 2026, the report said, citing ANZ.Malaysia's inflation data is also expected Friday, with Trading Economics forecasting the pace of price increase to quicken to 1.8% year on year from the 1.4% recorded in February.Singapore reports March trade data, including non-oil exports, the same day.
New Zealand shares closed lower on Monday as all Asian markets saw losses after peace talks between the US and Iran failed during the weekend.The S&P/NZX 50 Index fell 1.22% or 161.26 points to close at 13,020.18.US President Donald Trump warned on social media that the US Navy would immediately begin blockading all ships attempting to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz after a failed talk with Iran.The US military said it will begin a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday."The market is now largely back to conditions before the ceasefire, except now the US will block the remaining up to (2 million barrels) Iranian-linked flows through the Strait of Hormuz as well," said MST Marquee analyst Saul Kavonic, as quoted by Reuters."The key remaining question is if the US renews strikes on Iran, raising the risk of strikes on energy infrastructure across the region, which could have a further lasting impact beyond the duration of the war," Kavonic added.In domestic news, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) is now expected to consecutively increase the official cash rate three times by 25 basis points in July, September, and October, taking the policy rate to 3%, according to a report by ANZ.Also, New Zealand's fuel spending jumped a massive 15% month-on-month in March as prices surged, siphoning a large amount of cash from households' wallets and weighing on spending in other areas, said Westpac.Further, New Zealand's services sector shrank in March, posting its third consecutive monthly decline as the conflict in the Middle East impacted consumer confidence, with discretionary spending hit particularly hard, BusinessNZ said.In corporate news, Fonterra Co-operative Group's (NZE:FCG) roughly NZ$3.2 billion capital return to shareholders was implemented on April 10.Synlait Milk (NZE:SML, ASX:SM1) said it implemented enhanced testing earlier this year for all infant formula products, which resulted in extended release times and also had an impact on working capital requirements.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) is now expected to consecutively increase the official cash rate three times by 25 basis points in July, September, and October, taking the policy rate to 3%, according to a Monday report by ANZ Research.The central bank is likely to decide that the risks of conducting rate hikes later outweigh the risks of increasing too soon as long as the official cash rate is not considered contractionary.The analysts noted that it was possible the subsequent monetary policy decision could be a rate cut, or that the official cash rate "doesn't even make it as far as 3%."The outlook for oil prices and fuel supply is highly uncertain; meanwhile, the impact on medium-term inflation is ambiguous. Both the demand and the supply side of the economy are in flux.
New Zealand's fuel spending jumped a massive 15% month-on-month in March as prices surged, siphoning a large amount of cash from households' wallets and weighing on spending in other areas, said Westpac in a Monday report.The bank also reported a 0.7% rise in grocery purchases with households stocking up on essentials, as the Middle East conflict stoked concerns about shortages and cost increases.The bank said that cost-of-living pressures, combined with nervousness about the economic outlook, have seen many households winding back their discretionary spending.Westpac said it saw a 2% decrease in spending on takeaways and in restaurants as dining out is often the first thing households cut when fuel or other living costs rise, and it could be a tough few months for the hospitality sector.The bank added that spending levels are still above those seen in March 2025, but expects spending growth to remain muted over the coming months.Westpac believes that there is a long way to go before the resulting disruptions to fuel supply and global supply chains will dissipate.
Non-energy mineral stocks advanced more than 1% at midday Monday.Fletcher Building (NZE:FBU, ASX:FBU) shares rose past 2% in recent trade.On the flip side, the consumer non-durables sector struggled, shedding past 20%.Fonterra Co-operative Group (NZE:FCG) fell almost 28% after the company's roughly NZ$3.2 billion capital return to shareholders was implemented on April 10.
New Zealand's services sector shrank in March, posting its third consecutive monthly decline as the conflict in the Middle East impacted consumer confidence, with discretionary spending hit particularly hard, BusinessNZ said in a Monday report.The BusinessNZ Performance of Services Index for March came in at 46.0, down 1.6 points from February and 6.6 points lower than the long-term average of 52.8."So poor was the PSI reading that our combined PMI/PSI indicator is suggesting the economy could soon be contracting," said Stephen Toplis, BNZ's head of research. "While we are not forecasting a recession, these data support our recent decision to significantly downgrade our growth expectations for 2026."All five of the sub-indices returned readings lower than 50.0. The slump in new orders to 45.7 from 48.8 and in activity to 44.6 from 47.5 is "particularly worrisome," according to BusinessNZ.Further sub-50 outcomes could be on the cards as retail trade and accommodation, cafes, and restaurants will take a hit from the inflation-driven decline in real disposable incomes."The weak PSI report is also consistent with our view that there is unlikely to be any real improvement in the labor market in the year ahead," Toplis said. "Looking forward, it's hard to imagine things improving quickly for many of the industries within the services sector."
New Zealand shares closed lower on Friday as investors remain worried about the durability of the Iran-US ceasefire after Israel attacked Lebanon.The S&P/NZX 50 Index fell 0.7% or 92.37 points to close at 13,181.44."The US-Iran ceasefire led to a sharp recovery in Asian markets, but the risk-on sentiment got tested yesterday," said Rupal Agarwal, Asia quant strategist at Bernstein in Singapore, as quoted by Reuters."We believe this could be the beginning of the end and is presenting an opportunity for investors to focus on pre-war trends and fundamentals. We recommend adding back some beaten-down names," Agarwal added.In domestic news, the average weekly rent in March across Auckland for properties with over five bedrooms came in at about NZ$1,030, down 0.2% year over year, according to data from Barfoot & Thompson.Also, the fuel price in New Zealand is driven by a mix of global and domestic factors, including the price of crude oil in US dollars, refining margins, international freight, insurance costs, the New Zealand dollar exchange rate, as well as the cost of distributing fuel around the country, and other wholesaler and retailer costs and margins, ANZ Research saidFurther, New Zealand's manufacturing sector continued to expand in March, but momentum eased as sentiment weakened, with firms increasingly citing global uncertainty, including the war in Iran, as a growing headwind, BusinessNZ said.In corporate news, Kiwii Property Group (NZE:KPG) appointed Sarah Theodore as chief financial officer, effective late July.PaySauce's (NZE:PYS) annual recurring revenue (ARR) rose 6% year on year to NZ$8.9 million in the fiscal fourth quarter.
Commercial services shares gained the most on the New Zealand Exchange, rising 1% by midday Friday.PGG Wrightson (NZE:PGW) gained more than 1% in recent trade.Meanwhile, technology services shares fell past 2%.Westpac Banking (NZE:WBC, ASX:WBC) was down almost 4% in recent trade.
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