FX.co ★ New Zealand Stocks Set to End Month with Steep Loss

New Zealand equities fell 53 points, or 0.4%, to 12,695 in Tuesday morning trading, extending their losing streak to a third straight session. The decline followed a mostly weaker, holiday-shortened session on Wall Street Monday, as risk sentiment deteriorated amid surging oil prices and intensifying tensions in the Middle East, which overshadowed tentative diplomatic efforts out of Washington.

On the domestic front, Finance Minister Nicola Willis warned that inflation could rise “much higher” this year and remain above the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s 1%–3% target band if geopolitical risks persist. Investors were also looking ahead to March business confidence figures after sentiment slipped to a four-month low in February, while attention turned to China—New Zealand’s largest trading partner—with the release of official PMI data due later in the day.

Sector-wise, consumer durables, energy minerals, and healthcare stocks dragged on the NZX 50, partially offset by modest gains in technology shares. Early notable decliners included PGG Wrightson (-1.8%), Ryman Healthcare (-1.5%), Summerset Group (-1.2%), and Channel Infrastructure (-1.0%). For March, the benchmark index is currently tracking a steep 7.5% monthly loss, wiping out the gains recorded in February.