NZX 50 Rebounds, Ending Two-Day Decline

The NZX 50 experienced a rise of 39 points, or 0.3%, reaching 13,410 in Thursday morning trading. This gain marked a reversal from losses encountered in the prior two sessions and a recovery from the three-week low seen the previous day. The upward movement was in line with Wall Street's performance overnight, following the Federal Reserve's decision to loosen monetary policy. The US central bank reduced the federal funds rate by 25 basis points and indicated the possibility of one more rate cut next year. In addition, positive economic data from China, New Zealand’s largest trading partner, boosted market sentiment. Consumer prices on the mainland climbed to their highest level in 21 months, supported by stronger-than-expected trade figures. Domestically, investors awaited the release of November's business PMI, as the October data reflected a three-month peak. The advancement in the index was primarily driven by the tech, healthcare, financial, and consumer discretionary sectors. Significant market movements were observed in companies such as Mainfreight (up 1.7%), Gentrack Group (up 1.1%), Fisher & Paykel (up 0.7%), ANZ Group (down 0.7%), and Infratil (up 0.6%).