12 Sep 2014

Poll boosts energy company shares

7:26 pm on 12 September 2014

New Zealand shares were weaker today, the benchmark Top 50 Index shedding 38 points to 5224.

First NZ Capital broker Angus Marks said the power company shares rose on the latest election news.

"The latest polls suggesting there won't be a change in Government, the energy stocks have all been fairly strong with all the main players there, Contact, Genesis, Mighty River and Meridian all stronger on the week."

Xero fell $1.86 cents to $21.10, after the company announced its North American head, Peter Karpas, was stepping down after just six months in the job.

The Warehouse was steady at $3.09, after the company's annual net profit fell 46.3 percent, which it says reflects the strategic re-shaping the company is undergoing.

The New Zealand dollar remains under pressure after yesterday's half cent fall and is likely to see further downside over the coming week.

ANZ senior foreign exchange strategist Sam Tuck said the US dollar was likely to continue to strengthen against the New Zealand dollar over the next week.

"Markets are going into next week with a firm eye on the US Federal Reserve meeting on Thursday New Zealand time. We're expecting this meeting to signal that the beginning to policy normalisation will occur at some point in 2015, and this is encouraging markets to buy US dollars."

A short time ago, the New Zealand dollar was mixed at 81.57 US cents, 90.02 Australian cents, 50.24 British pence, 0.6313 euro, 87.58 yen and 5.00 renminbi.

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