Market & Portfolio Update - February 2025
The Global share market was broadly flat in February, up +0.2% in NZ dollar terms, despite news that US President Donald Trump was imposing 25% tariffs on the United States’ North American neighbors and closest trading partners, Canada and Mexico. An additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports is also expected to come into force, leaving all of America’s top three trading partners facing significantly higher barriers.
The New Zealand share market had an eventful month, with most companies reporting their half-year results. A2 Milk delivered a very strong result and announced it would pay its first-ever dividend, beating market expectations. In contrast, rest home operator Ryman Healthcare cited ongoing challenging market conditions and announced a $1 billion capital raise to reduce debt and strengthen its balance sheet.
During the month, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand continued their attempt to invigorate the domestic economy by lowering the Official Cash Rate to 3.75% (from 4.25%). While this is good news, it was largely expected by the market and didn’t cause any strong market movement on the day.
Staying Cyber Smart
At Lifetime, looking after your financial wellbeing includes helping you stay safe online. Lately, we’ve seen an increase in online scam attempts across the financial sector here in New Zealand, so we thought this was a good time to share a few friendly reminders on how you can stay protected.
Lifetime Book Club: The Behaviour Gap by Carl Richards
Welcome back to the Lifetime Book Club, this month, we’re taking a closer look at the emotional side of investing with The Behaviour Gap by Carl Richards. It’s a smart, simple, and refreshingly honest book about the biggest threat to your financial success - you.