New Zealand Shares Fall Ahead of US Labor Data

MT Newswires Live09-06

New Zealand shares fell on Friday's close as traders nervously await the results of an upcoming US labor report, which may guide the extent of upcoming rate cuts.

The S&P/NZX 50 Index fell 0.5% or 63.15 points to close at 12,615.51.

All eyes are now on the US non-farm payroll report set for release later in the day following the recent pronouncements of the US Federal Reserve Jerome Powell supporting the labor market, Reuters reported.

Analysts are expecting new jobs to rise by 165,000 and the unemployment rate falling to 4.2%. A weakened labor market may force the US Fed to cut rates in its next meeting, the report added.

On the domestic front, Stats NZ reported that building activity in New Zealand logged its weakest June quarter in four years as residential and non-residential work fell, with the seasonally adjusted volume of building work slipping 0.2% quarter over quarter to NZ$8.2 billion during the three months to June.

In corporate news, shares of financial services firm ANZ (NZE:ANZ, ASX:ANZ) and diagnostic firm Pacific Edge (NZE:PEB, ASX:PEB) both climbed 2% on market close, offset by a 4% fall in the shares of logistics firm Freightways (NZE:FRW, ASX:FRW).

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