New Zealand’s benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index advanced 0.6% to close at 13,389 on Thursday, extending gains from the previous session, amid strength in the property, miscellaneous, and non-energy minerals sectors. Shares of infrastructure investor Infratil jumped 4.95% after its part-owned data centre operator CDC announced a strategic partnership with Nvidia and Firmus Technologies to develop an AI data center in Melbourne. Mining company Santana Minerals also surged 7% after securing key freehold land for its Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project. In the real estate sector, Precinct Properties (+1.6%), Kiwi Property (+0.95%), Property for Industry (+0.8%), Argosy Property (+2.4%), and Stride Property (+3.2%) were among the top performers. Sentiment was further lifted by a positive lead from Wall Street, where US equities finished mostly higher amid expectations of more Federal Reserve rate cuts and upbeat earnings reports from major banks.
