The NZX 50 Index hit a fresh peak of 4000 this afternoon , a record high and 19% improvement since the beginning of 2006.
Key contributors to NZX 50 Index performance in 2006 include Fletcher Building, Infratil, Contact Energy, Guinness Peat Group, Ryman Healthcare and Mainfreight.
The recent run has been driven in particular by Fletcher Building, Auckland International Airport, Kiwi Income Property Trust, Macquarie Goodman Property Trust and Air New Zealand.
The NZX 50 Index was launched on 3 March 2003 at a base value of 1880.86, with a set of historic data calculated back to the beginning of January 2001.
| NZX 50 Index Milestone | Date | Trading days to reach* |
|---|---|---|
Launched |
3 Mar 2003 at 1880.86 |
n/a |
2000 |
15 Apr 2003 |
31 |
2500 |
20 Jan 2004 |
191 |
3000 |
1 Dec 2004 |
221 |
3500 |
13 Mar 2006 |
319 |
4000 |
20 Dec 2006 |
197 |
* One year contains approximately 251 trading days
NZX CEO Mark Weldon said, “Both CEOs and investors are confident about the future and the performance of the market. Breaking the 4000 milestone is a fantastic way to finish 2006. It reflects outstanding and sustained company performance.”
The NZX 50 Index has provided very strong returns over the last three years: 24.7% in 2004, 10.1% in 2005 and 19.4% this year to date.
