FX.co ★ New Zealand Stocks End 1.5% Lower

On Friday, New Zealand's S&P/NZX 50 index fell sharply by 1.5%, closing at 12,019. This downturn erased the considerable gains from the previous day, making it the second most challenging trading week for 2025. The decline aligned with losses on Wall Street after U.S. President Donald Trump intensified trade tensions with China by increasing tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%. This development raised concerns for New Zealand's economy, which relies substantially on exports to China. In other economic updates, there was a slowdown in New Zealand's manufacturing growth for March. Health technology stocks were the primary contributors to the decline, with major players like Fisher & Paykel and Ebos Group dropping by 3.1% and 6.4%, respectively. Furthermore, shares of Australian banks operating locally, such as Westpac and ANZ, decreased by 3.2% and 4%, respectively, with Heartland, a local lender, falling by 2.7%. Sectors including retirement home operators and logistics companies also ended the day negatively. Over the week, the NZX-50 experienced a 1.7% drop and has now decreased by 9.4% since its recent peak in December.