The NZX 50 rose 16 points, or 0.1%, to 13,289 in Friday morning’s trading, marking a fifth straight gain, following a sharp rise on Wall Street overnight as markets entered a consolidation phase following Wednesday’s relief rally. Sentiment was also lifted by renewed Middle East de-escalation after reports that Israel signaled openness to negotiations with Lebanon. Thursday's statement from RBNZ Governor Anna Breman that the economy is still expected to grow in 2026 if the ceasefire in the Middle East holds also further fueled sentiment. However, traders are awaiting the release of both China and US inflation data later today. Real estate led the gains, followed by financials and industrials. Among the top early gainers were Freightways (1.3%), Ebos Group (1.0%), Infratil (0.6%), Port of Tauranga (0.6%), and Ryman Healthcare (0.5%). For the week, the index is heading for a 0.3% rise, which would be the first weekly increase in six weeks, amid de-escalation in the Middle East conflict.