New Zealand stocks rose 26 points or 0.2% to 12,760 in early Wednesday trade, extending gains for the fifth straight session to reach a six-week peak. The advance was driven by strength in non-energy minerals, consumer non-durables, and financials, following a positive lead from Wall Street where the Dow Jones climbed as investors rotated out of tech stocks to begin the second half of 2025. Sentiment was further supported by unexpected growth in China's manufacturing sector, signaling resilience in New Zealand’s top trading partner amid Beijing’s ongoing economic support and persistent deflation and trade challenges. However, gains were capped by renewed trade threats from U.S. President Trump, who warned he may enforce his July 9 deadline for new tariff announcements. Among notable movers, AFT Pharma rose 2.1%, Infratil gained 1.4%, Spark NZ added 0.9%, and Restaurant Brands advanced 0.7%. On the downside, Winton Land and Skellerup Holdings fell 2.4% and 2.2%, respectively.