FX.co ★ New Zealand Shares End at Record High

On Wednesday, New Zealand's S&P/NZX 50 index climbed by 0.4%, reaching a record high of 13,715. This growth was primarily fueled by the health tech and non-energy minerals sectors. The local market mirrored the positive trend seen on Wall Street the previous night, with investors shifting their focus away from the U.S. intervention in Venezuela to anticipate upcoming U.S. labor market data, seeking clues about the Federal Reserve’s future policy moves. Notable contributors to the index’s rise included Fisher & Paykel, which increased by 3.1%, and Meridian Energy, Mercury NZ, Ebos Group, and Spark NZ, which posted gains of 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.3%, and 0.4%, respectively. A standout performer was Manuka, with its shares soaring by 34.2% following the company’s announcement of its plans to start unhedged gold and silver production in the second quarter of 2026. Similarly, Santana Minerals experienced a 4.7% increase.