The S&P/NZX 50 Index rose 0.6% to around 12,962 on Monday, closing at its highest level since February, buoyed by positive sentiment following softer-than-expected inflation data. Consumer prices rose 0.5% in Q2, down from 0.9% in Q1 and below the forecast of 0.6%. Annually, inflation accelerated to 2.7% from 2.5%, but came in slightly below the 2.8% estimate. On the corporate front, consumer durables and distribution services led sectoral gains. KMD Brands surged 6%, and Vulcan Steel added nearly 1%. Other notable gainers included Fisher & Paykel (+1.5%), Auckland International Airport (+1.8%), A2 Milk (+1.6%), Spark NZ (+1.8%), and Vector (+2.1%). Meanwhile, Contact Energy edged 0.1% lower after reporting a decline in mass market electricity sales, offset by higher wholesale volumes. General Capital also noted that Equifax Australasia reaffirmed the “BB” credit rating of its subsidiary, General Finance, with a stable outlook.