Asia
New Zealand Shares End Slightly Higher Amid Rising Middle East Tensions; Channel Infrastructure Secures Deal to Expand Diesel Storage at Marsden Point
New Zealand shares ended marginally higher on Monday after tensions rose in the Middle East, as the end of the two-week US-Iran ceasefire draws near.The S&P/NZX 50 Index edged up 0.1% or 9.8 points to close at 12,915.45.Tensions rose in the Middle East as the US seized an Iranian cargo ship and Iran's top military command vowed to retaliate. US President Donald Trump said he was sending envoys for talks in Pakistan. However, Iran rejected new peace talks with the US, its state news agency reported.Trump said he would launch new strikes on Iran if it didn't agree to his terms.In domestic news, New Zealand recorded a goods trade surplus of NZ$698 million in March, compared with a deficit of NZ$364.7 million in February, Stats NZ data showed. Goods exports rose 7.3% to NZ$7.94 billion, while imports rose 9.6% to NZ$7.25 billion..New Zealand's first-quarter consumer price index is anticipated to rise by 0.8% quarter on quarter and 2.9% year on year, which is slightly below the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's revised April forecast of 3%, brokerage firm BofA Securities said.In corporate news, Channel Infrastructure (NZE:CHI, ASX:CHI) confirmed an agreement with the New Zealand Government to add 93 million liters of diesel storage at its Marsden Point Energy Precinct, equivalent to around nine more days of national diesel demand.Genesis Energy (NZE:GNE, ASX:GNE) reached a final investment decision on the second stage of its battery energy storage system program at Huntly Power Station on New Zealand's North Island, with an estimated project cost of about NZ$106 million.Lastly, Fletcher Building (NZE:FBU, ASX:FBU) said the planned sale of Fletcher Construction to Vinci Construction has cleared key regulatory approvals in New Zealand, including Overseas Investment Office consent and confirmation from the Commerce Commission that it will not further review the transaction.
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