Market Announcements
Market Summary
A higher-than-expected inflation rate and a sharp fall in business confidence weighed heavily on the New Zealand sharemarket but perked itself up with a late rise. The S&P/NZX 50 opened strongly but gradually wilted as the latest inflation and business opinion data flowed through. There was a sharp rally in the brokers’ matching session, and the index closed at 12,932.33, up 16.88 points or 0.13% after reaching an intraday low of 12,874.88. There were 73 gainers and 64 decliners on the main board, and turnover was 33.7 million shares worth $139.92m.
The Consumers Price Index (CPI) increased 0.9% for the March quarter, and annual inflation was unchanged at 3.1%. Most economists expected 2.9%, and the Reserve Bank of NZ (RBNZ) had forecast 3% inflation. The NZIER March quarterly survey of business opinion (QSBO) revealed that only a net 1% of respondents expected better general economic conditions over the coming months, compared with a net 39% in the December quarter. The building sector was the most downbeat.
The Brent Crude oil price had fallen to US$94.43 (NZ$159.85) a barrel at 6pm NZ time.
At home, global transport and logistics company Mainfreight rose $2.10 or 3.68% to $59.20 after a two-week slide. Fletcher Building was down 5c or 1.71% to $2.88; ANZ fell $1.44 or 3.1% to $45.02; SkyCity decreased 1.5c or 2.22% to 66c; Turners Automotive eased 11c to $8.54; and The Warehouse declined 2.5c or 3.23% to 75c.
In the energy sector, Meridian was down 6c to $5.59; Contact eased 9c to $9.30; and Mercury was up 3c to $6.48.
Summerset, down 16c or 1.96% to $7.99, told shareholders at the annual meeting that its building programme for the year would be at the bottom of its guidance of 750-850 new units. Ryman Healthcare increased 8c or 3.98% to $2.09; Port of Tauranga gained 9c to $8.08; Ventia Services added 18c or 2.89% to $6.40; and Hallenstein Glasson rose 23c or 2.35% to $10. The property sector was stronger, with Property for Industry rising 5c or 2.21% to $2.31; Vital Healthcare Trust up 4c or 2.16% to $1.89; and Kiwi Property gaining 2c or 2.23% to 91.5c.
Data software firm Blackpearl Group was up 3c to 97c after reporting a 114% rise in annual recurring revenue to $26.8m at the end of March. Fourth quarter revenue increased 13% on the previous three months. Blackpearl said the milestone of $30m annual recurring revenue was fast approaching, and the growth case was now proven.
KMD Brands, last traded at 6.7c, went into a trading halt while it completed the sale of 169.3m new shares that weren’t taken up in the retail rights offer, at 6c a share. Shareholders took up 52% of their entitlements or 182.6m new shares, and KMD raised $11m, with applications worth $4.5m for additional shares that will be included in the shortfall bookbuild. KMD earlier raised $44.2m through a placement and institutional rights offer.
Cooks Coffee was up 0005c or 2.17% to 23.5c after reporting a 22.8% rise in sales to $95.8m for the financial year ending March. UK store sales increased 22.1% to $66m and Ireland 24.4% to $29.6m. The store network expanded to 118, from 100.
Source: Business Desk
Australian Market Report
Ahead of the local open SPI futures were 70 points Lower at 8878.
Tuesday 21 April 2026 - close [Morningstar with AAP]: The Australian share market has finished little changed for a third straight session amid a looming US-Iran ceasefire deadline and continued tensions over control of a crucial maritime oil choke-point.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index on Tuesday finished down 3.9 points, or 0.04 per cent, to 8,947.5, while the broader All Ordinaries rose 3.1 points, or 0.03 per cent, to 9,177.2.
In Washington, President Donald Trump said he was "highly unlikely" to renew a two-week ceasefire with Iran due to expire at midnight GMT on Wednesday (10am Thursday, Sydney time).
"I'm not going to be rushed into making a bad deal," Mr Trump told Bloomberg News in a phone interview.
The US had turned back 27 ships trying to enter or exit Iran's ports since the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz began a week ago, the US military said.
IG analyst Tony Sycamore said traders appeared to be balancing renewed geopolitical risks against persistent hopes that diplomacy could still deliver an extended or even permanent ceasefire deal.
Market participants would remain glued to every headline and the ceasefire expiration would provide some extra tension for Australian markets at 10am on Thursday, Mr Sycamore predicted.
Five of the ASX's 11 sectors finished lower on Tuesday and five finished higher, with telecommunications basically flat.
Energy was the biggest mover, dropping 0.8 per cent as Brent crude oil traded for $US94.67 a barrel, a tick less than on Monday.
Woodside fell 1.8 per cent, Santos dropped 1.5 per cent and Beach Energy retreated 2.5 per cent.
HUB24 was the biggest mover in the ASX200, dropping 8.3 per cent to a one-week low of $87.50 after the superannuation platform reported net inflows of $9 billion in the third quarter, up 22 per cent from a year ago.
Elsewhere in the financial sector, the big retail banks were mixed.
ANZ dropped 1.7 per cent to $37.28 and CBA dipped 0.3 per cent to $179.58, while NAB added 0.5 per cent to $41.21 and Westpac climbed 0.6 per cent to $40.25.
In the heavyweight mining sector, Rio Tinto grew 0.8 per cent to $173.86 after the mining giant reported that copper production was up nine per cent in the first quarter.
Rival BHP dipped 0.3 per cent to $55.51 while Fortescue was basically flat at $21.18 and South32 added 0.5 per cent to $4.41.
West African Resources dropped 0.6 per cent to $3.42 as its shares resumed trading following the partial nationalisation of one of its two main assets, the Kiaka goldmine in Burkina Faso.
The military junta that rules the West African nation will pay $175 million for an additional 25 per cent stake in the mine, far less than its market value.
The funds would be distributed to shareholders via a special dividend, the Perth-headquartered goldminer said.
Fellow goldminers Northern Star and Evolution were down 0.8 per cent and 1.6 per cent, respectively, as the precious metal traded for $US4,800 an ounce, down about $20 from Monday.
The Australian dollar was changing hands at 71.63 US cents, up from 71.56 US cents at 5pm on Monday.
ON THE ASX:
The S&P/ASX200 dropped 3.9 points, or 0.04 per cent, to 8,949.4.
The broader All Ordinaries gained 3.1 points, or 0.03 per cent, to 9,177.2.
The NZX 50 added 26.66 points (0.21%) to 12,932.33 while the Nikkei gained 873.27 points (1.47%) at the time of writing, to be closed at 59,349.17
Companies Holding Annual General Meeting (ASX 300):
Scentre Group
Overseas Market Report
[Morningstar with Dow Jones]: U.S. stocks ended lower. The DJIA fell 0.6% to 49,149.38, the S&P 500 slipped 0.6% to 7,064.01, and the Nasdaq dropped 0.6% to 24,259.96.
Among S&P 500 companies, the top three gainers were Northern Trust Corp NTRS surging 8.05%, HP Inc HPQ jumped 7.66%, and UnitedHealth Group Inc UNH lifted 6.96%.
The biggest decliners were Tractor Supply Co TSCO which dropped 11.68%, Coinbase Global Inc COIN fell 7.46%, and Northrop Grumman Corp NOC lost 6.96%.
Asia
Chinese shares closed mixed. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.1% to 4,085.08, and the Shenzhen Composite Index was unchanged at 2,761.35.
Hong Kong shares ended higher. The benchmark Hang Seng Index added 0.5% to 26,487.48.
Japanese shares closed higher. The Nikkei Stock Average lifted 0.9% to 59,349.17.
India shares ended higher. The BSE SENSEX gained 1% to 79,273.33.
Europe
Stocks in the U.K. finished lower. The FTSE 100 Index declined 1% to 1,0498.09.
In Europe, shares closed lower. Germany's DAX fell 0.6% to 24,270.87, and France's CAC 40 declined 1.1% to 8,235.72.
