New Zealand shares declined 75 points, or 0.5%, to 13,922 in Thursday morning trade, erasing gains from the previous three sessions as investors locked in profits after the index hit a record high on Wednesday. Market participants continued to digest fresh data showing the unemployment rate rose to 5.6% in Q2—the highest since Q3 2015—against a backdrop of elevated inflation, sharpening debate over whether the central bank will cut interest rates at its upcoming meeting.
The downside was partly limited by further weakness in oil prices, amid optimism over progress in US–Iran peace talks. Softer energy costs helped ease inflation concerns and, in turn, tempered expectations of future interest rate hikes. Sentiment was also underpinned by a strong overnight performance on Wall Street, driven by robust corporate earnings and solid macroeconomic releases.
Sector-wise, healthcare, consumer staples, and utilities were the main drags on the benchmark. Early notable losers included Fisher & Paykel (−3.4%), Fletcher Building (−2.9%), Mercury NZ (−1.2%), and ANZ Group (−0.8%).
