20.02.202603:57:22UTC+00NZX 50 Logs 0.9% Weekly Gain Despite Friday Decline

The NZX 50 fell 122 points, or 0.9%, to close at 13,322 on Friday, ending a two-session advance as profit-taking weighed on most sectors, notably non-energy minerals, utilities, and healthcare. Sentiment was further dampened by geopolitical risks after U.S. President Trump warned he would decide within 10 days whether to launch military strikes against Iran. Caution also increased ahead of key domestic releases next week, including Q4 retail sales data and February readings of business and consumer confidence. Among the main laggards were EBOS Group (-4.2%), A2 Milk (-3.1%), Sky Network Television (-2.8%), and Fletcher Building (-2.5%).

Despite Friday’s pullback, the local market still booked a 0.9% gain for the week, recovering part of the steep losses seen previously amid a benign inflation outlook. Reserve Bank Governor Anna Breman indicated that inflation is expected to return to the 2% target midpoint within 12 months. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s trade deficit narrowed in January as exports rose slightly faster than imports.