The NZX 50 rose 41 points, or 0.3%, to 13,318 in morning trade on Wednesday, halting losses from the previous three sessions, as remarks from Fed Chair Jerome Powell bolstered expectations of interest rate cuts. Traders also welcomed the RBNZ's decision to shorten the gap between its November and December monetary policy meetings, following adjustments to its calendar. However, ongoing US-China trade tensions capped gains. Markets are also awaiting the release of Chinese CPI and PPI data for September later today, with expectations of continued declines, highlighting persistently weak domestic demand. New reports from the IMF further pressured sentiment, as the agency forecast that global GDP growth will remain below 2024’s level at 3.2%, despite an upward revision from its July forecast of 3.0%. The energy, consumer discretionary, and communication services sectors led gains on the index, with notable rises in Skellerup (1.6%), Freightways Group (1.3%), and Hallenstein Glasson (1.1%).