New Zealand's stocks fell 75 points, or 0.5%, to 13,922 in Thursday morning trade, erasing gains from the previous three sessions, as traders took profits after the index hit a record high a day earlier. Investors continued to assess the latest data after Wednesday's report showed New Zealand's unemployment rate increased to 5.6% in Q2, the highest since Q3 2015, amid a surge in inflation, raising questions about whether the central bank will cut interest rates at its upcoming meeting. However, further declines in oil prices amid optimism over US-Iran peace talks limited the fall, as easing inflation concerns tempered expectations of an interest rate hike. An upbeat session on Wall Street overnight also capped further declines, supported by strong corporate earnings and macroeconomic data. Healthcare, consumer staples, and utilities mainly weighed on the index, with early losers including Fisher & Paykel (-3.4%), Fletcher Building (-2.9%), Mercury NZ (-1.2%), and ANZ Group (-0.8%).