Hot inflation sends NZ shares falling
The S&P/NZX 50 Index fell 239 points, or 1.9%, to 12,173.78. Turnover was about $150 million.
US investors were shocked overnight by stronger than expected inflation data – the headline consumer price index was up 7.5% since last year – which increased expectations for faster rate hikes.
One member of the US Federal Reserve committee publicly came out in favour of a 50-basis-point rate hike in March, which traders immediately priced into market interest rates.
Nick Smyth, a BNZ strategist, said the narrative about inflation last year had been that it was driven largely by supply chain issues and would be short-lived.
Click the button below to subscribe and will have free unlimited access for a limited time to full article and all other articles on the site.
You will also be able to comment on articles on Good Returns.