The NZX 50 rose 13 points, or 0.1%, to 13,320 in choppy morning trade on Thursday, gaining for the second straight session amid hopes of a further interest rate cut. RBNZ Chief Economist Paul Conway told Bloomberg TV on Wednesday that the Monetary Policy Committee remains open to additional rate cuts if necessary. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s efforts to propose a longer pause on high tariffs on Chinese goods - aimed at resolving a conflict over critical minerals - also lifted sentiment. However, gains were capped by continued concerns over the ongoing US government shutdown, as well as persistent deflation in China, New Zealand’s top trading partner. On the data front, New Zealand's food inflation eased to a five-month low of 4.1% in September, down from 5% in August. Financials, real estate, and materials mainly supported the index, with notable gains from Infratil (2.1%), Mercury NZ (1.7%), Ventia Services Group (1.7%), Ebos Group (1.0%), and Kiwi Property Group (1.0%).