Market & Portfolio Update - October 2022
October provided a much needed reprieve for global share markets, rising 7.2% (in local currency terms). The month saw a number of companies report their latest earnings numbers, which at a broad level, were better than expected.
The NZ share market ended the month up 2.5%. Performance of the listed travel-related companies was particularly strong, with Tourism Holdings and Auckland International Airport up 32% and 7%, respectively. During the month, both companies upgraded their profit guidance due to increased certainty on revenues and tourism numbers.
The latest data shows New Zealand’s annual inflation rate to the end of September was 7.2%. This was a slight moderation from 7.3% in June but remains well above the RBNZ’s 1-3% target. Market expectations are now for the RBNZ to progressively raise the OCR to around 5% by May next year (currently 3.5%).
Lifetime Book Club: The Green Mile by Stephen King
Sometimes the most powerful stories aren’t the ones that scare us. They’re the ones that move us.
Stephen King might be best known for horror, but The Green Mile is a story of humanity, compassion, and courage in the face of unthinkable circumstances. Set in a 1930s prison, it follows Paul Edgecombe, a death row officer, and John Coffey, a man with extraordinary empathy and an inexplicable gift.
The Growing Divide: Why Private Medical Claims Are Surging in New Zealand
It feels like there is another headline about our public health system being under pressure every week. Long waitlists, staff shortages, and hospitals struggling to keep up. It is no surprise that more Kiwis are turning to private healthcare to get the treatment they need and faster.