New Zealand: Equities Slip for 4th Session.

Shares in New Zealand dropped 39 points, or 0.3%, to 13,079 in Tuesday morning trade, marking a third straight decline and holding at a four-month low. Losses were broad, led by healthcare, utilities, logistics, and non-energy minerals, as caution lingered ahead of the RBNZ’s first policy meeting of the year on Wednesday. While the central bank is expected to keep cash rates at 2.25% on its first policy meeting of 2026, some investors anticipate several hikes this year, possibly in September and October. On fresh data, food inflation in the Pacific nation quickened to 4.6% in January, up from December’s eight-month low of 4%, marking the first rise since October. In the U.S., markets were closed Monday for Presidents Day, with concerns over the AI sector weighing sentiment, while China’s bourses remain shut all week for Lunar New Year. Among notable laggards were Contact Energy (-4.8%), Serko (-1.3%), EBOS Group (-1.1%), and Gentrack (-0.7%).