05.01.202604:52:29UTC+00NZX 50 Ends at 4-Week High to Start the Year

On Monday, the S&P/NZX 50 index advanced by 0.3% to reach 13,587, marking its highest close in four weeks. This movement in the first trading session of 2026 followed the New Year’s holiday break and was largely driven by gains in the industrial services and non-energy minerals sectors. Notable contributors to this rise included Ventia Services and Fletcher Building, both of which increased by 1.9%, and Manuka Resources, which climbed 6.3%. Additionally, heavyweights such as Infratil surged by 3.2%, while Tower Limited saw a 3.0% increase, with Winton Land and Ryman Healthcare each rising 1.9% and 1.7%, respectively; Serko also posted a 1.7% gain. Conversely, the index saw declines led by Third Age Health Services, which fell 6.8%, followed by Freightways Group, Scales Corp, and Seeka Limited, which decreased by 2.8%, 1.9%, and 1.1%, respectively. Market sentiment, however, was somewhat tempered by renewed geopolitical tensions, stemming from US military strikes on Venezuela, which created unease in global markets. Investors remain alert to the upcoming US employment figures scheduled for release later this week, which are anticipated to provide further insight into the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy direction.