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The Markets

NZX50 joins global rally as optimism over Iran persists

Wednesday 15th of April 2026

New Zealand’s S&P/NZX 50 index snapped a three-day decline to join a global rally in equity markets, as US President Donald Trump signalled peace talks with Iran could resume within days after weekend negotiations failed to make much headway.

The power companies did the heavy lifting for the index, with Meridian Energy, Mercury NZ, Contact Energy and Genesis Energy all on the green side of the ledger, while gains for Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and Ebos Group provided a further tailwind.

Air New Zealand rose after Forsyth Barr research showed recent price hikes would ease pressure on the bottom line in the face of deepening losses, in a broadly stronger day for airlines with merger talk in the US and Virgin Australia following Qantas Airways in cutting domestic flights in the coming months.

And Comvita dipped after lifting the veil on its anticipated capital raising, bringing Singapore’s Fraser and Neave as a cornerstone shareholder in a $30 million renounceable rights offering to repay bank debt.

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