Market & Portfolio Update – September 2024
The US equity markets ended the month +0.1%, ending the quarter up +1.8%. During September, the US Federal Reserve followed many other central banks and cut interest rates. Growing confidence that inflation is heading to 2% has allowed many central banks to reduce interest rates in the past few months.
China cut interest rates and signalled that it would follow up with additional stimulus aimed at stabilising its property sector and spurring consumer spending. The Chinese share market and many global companies exposed to the Chinese economy rose after the stimulus announcement.
The New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX) had a busy month with two large listed companies announcing substantial capital raises. Fletcher Building announced a $700 million equity raise to help manage its debt. Meanwhile, Auckland International Airport announced a $1.4 billion capital raise to support the construction of its new domestic jet terminal, making it the largest equity raise in NZX history.
Maximise Your Miles: Financial Tips for Frequent Flyers
Whether you’re a young Kiwi planning your OE (overseas experience), a family about to embark on that long-awaited trip to Disneyland, or a seasoned business traveller hopping between meetings in Singapore and Sydney, the excitement of travel is unbeatable. But with every adventure comes a bit of financial planning to ensure your holiday memories aren’t clouded by an unexpected hit to the wallet.
Market & Portfolio Update - January 2026
After strong gains in 2025, the global share market (represented by the MSCI World Gross Index) took a breather in January, returning 0.1% in NZ dollar terms. While the ‘Magnificent 7’ (the seven largest US-listed companies, including Google, Microsoft & Apple) have been large drivers behind the recent gains seen from the US share market, January told a different story. There appeared to be ‘catch-up’ trade where investors moved out of concentrated tech positions and into the rest of the market, with the Russell 2000 index (a widely regarded proxy for smaller US companies) having a strong month. This was generally seen as improving confidence in the broader US economy.