03.06.202623:00:48UTC+00New Zealand Shares Extend Losses

The NZX 50 fell 47 points, or 0.4%, to 13,068 in Thursday morning trade, extending the previous session’s losses and hitting its lowest level since May 25. The decline followed overnight weakness on Wall Street amid renewed escalation of the war in the Middle East. Investors also weighed the risk that New Zealand could be hit with a new 12.5% US tariff, after the US Trade Representative named 54 economies, including New Zealand, as having failed to impose and effectively enforce bans on goods produced with forced labour. Sentiment was further pressured by Wednesday’s economic data, which showed New Zealand’s merchandise terms of trade fell more than expected in the first quarter of 2026. Energy, consumer staples, and healthcare stocks were the main drags on the index. Notable decliners included Ryman Healthcare (-1.8%), ANZ Group (-0.7%), Contact Energy (-0.7%), A2 Milk (-0.6%), Auckland International Airport (-0.4%), and Ebos Group (-0.4%).