New Zealand shares ended flat with a negative bias on Monday amid silver reaching new record highs.
The S&P/NZX 50 Index shed 0.02% or 3.1 points to close at 13,525.99.
Silver prices climbed past $80 an ounce on Monday, driven by industrial and investment demand, shrinking inventories, heightened geopolitical tensions, and growing expectations of another cut in US interest rates, Reuters reported on Monday.
In domestic news, New Zealand's construction industry is set for a 3.3% contraction in 2025 amid rising debt, declining building permits, labor shortages, and material costs, according to Research and Markets' report.
In corporate news, Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust's (NZE:TEM) unaudited net asset value including income was 2.39 billion pounds sterling, or 2.4952 pounds sterling per share as of Dec. 23.
Bankers Investment Trust's (NZE:BIT) unaudited net asset value per share was 1.412 pounds sterling apiece as of Dec. 23.