NZ shares rise as Fonterra Fund recovers

Fonterra fund units led the market higher, up 3.7 per cent at $3.68. Photo / 123RF

New Zealand shares were led higher by a recovery in Fonterra Shareholders' Fund units after a sharp sell-off yesterday. Utilities and property investors remain in favour among investors wanting a decent yield.

The S&P/NZX 50 Index rose 57.19 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 10,615.47. Within the index, 33 stocks gained, 11 fell and six were unchanged. Turnover was $134.4 million.

Fonterra fund units led the market higher, up 3.7 per cent at $3.68. They bounced back from yesterday's 5.3 per cent slide but are still down 20 per cent so far this year. Chief financial officer Marc Rivers moved to calm the market, issuing a statement to the stock exchange saying there was nothing new behind the slump. About 395,000 units changed hands, almost twice their 90-day average of 200,000. Fonterra's farmer-owned shares rose 5.1 per cent to $3.69 on a volume of 641,000, more than its 163,000 average.

"They stuck their hand up and said they're not doing as well as they could do, but they're addressing their debt situation, selling assets like Tip Top," said Greg Smith, head of research at Fat Prophets.

Companies offering reliable income remained in demand, and Smith said that will likely remain a key theme after the Reserve Bank of Australia cut its benchmark interest rate this week, putting pressure on New Zealand's central bank to follow suit. What's more, upcoming US employment data may force the Federal Reserve to cut, adding to the attraction of New Zealand's high-yield stocks.

Meridian Energy rose 2.7 per cent to $4.83 on a volume of 1.1 million shares. Chorus was up 2.2 per cent at $5.80, Goodman Property Trust rose 2.1 per cent to $1.97, and Genesis Energy climbed 2 per cent to $3.50 on a volume of 1.9 million shares, about three times it 610,000 average.

Smith said the local benchmark - which is at a record and trading at the highest forward price-to-earnings multiple across Asia - can probably run further due to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's scope to cut interest rates further.

"The interesting thing is what happens when the RBNZ's lowering rates but also looking to raise bank capital requirements?"

Heartland Group Holdings, whose licensed New Zealand bank division supports the higher capital requirements, rose 1.8 per cent to $1.70, while dual-listed Australian & New Zealand Banking Group was up 0.1 per cent at $29.60 and Westpac Banking Corp rose 1.2 per cent to $29.89.

Mercury NZ was the most traded stock on a volume of 4.7 million shares, well up on its 672,000 average. It rose 1.7 per cent to $4.58. Spark New Zealand increased 0.9 per cent to $3.985 on a volume of 4.2 million, while Kiwi Property Group was unchanged at $1.615 on a volume of 2.9 million shares, and Auckland International Airport decreased 0.5 per cent to $9.50 on a volume of 2 million shares.

Among other stocks trading on volumes of more than a million shares, Precinct Properties New Zealand rose 0.9 per cent to $1.77 and Arvida Group declined 1.5 per cent to $1.36.

Pushpay Holdings fell 3.8 per cent to $3.55 on a volume of 496,000 shares. The company came out of a trading halt yesterday from a bookbuild to help founder and former chief executive Chris Heaslip sell down his stake.

Trustpower shares rose 0.7 per cent to $7.50 after confirming a seven-year, $50m bond offer, with the ability to accept over-subscriptions of up to $25m. The bonds will pay annual interest of 3.35 per cent.

Chorus's 2028 bond paying annual interest of 4.35 per cent was the most traded debt security with a volume of 507,000. The notes closed at a yield of 2.85 per cent, up 5 basis points.