The New Zealand sharemarket, unsettled by mixed company results, a slowing economy and election uncertainty, fell more than 4% in August – the worst trading month for over a year.

The New Zealand sharemarket was flat, and property stocks were weaker after the National party followed Labour and confirmed commercial building depreciation tax breaks would end next year.

Tourism Holdings shone brightly, Fisher and Paykel Healthcare had a volatile day after providing its latest guidance, and a calm New Zealand sharemarket produced a near half percent gain.

The government’s $4 billion cost-cutting move and a passive speech from the United States Federal Reserve governor underpinned a firmer tone on the New Zealand sharemarket.

An unforgiving New Zealand sharemarket slipped further on another busy day of company reporting that again saw a bunch of solid results.

Uncertainty crept back into the New Zealand sharemarket, down more than half a percent, despite solid financial results from high-flying Air NZ and Auckland International Airport.

Ebos Group, for so long a reliable and consistent performer, led the New Zealand sharemarket to a welcome gain of well over half a percent on the busiest day for company reporting.

The New Zealand sharemarket was more sympathetic on a lighter day for company reporting, and a2 Milk had a nice bounce-back.

The New Zealand sharemarket wasn’t in a sympathetic mood, falling more than one percent despite four of the leading stocks producing solid financial results.

The New Zealand sharemarket is heading for its worst month in a year, and farming-related stocks were unsettled after Fonterra lowered its farmgate milk price forecast for the second time in a fortnight.

Skellerup Holdings was a beacon of light in reporting record earnings on the New Zealand sharemarket as blue chip stocks took a tumble in the biggest single-day fall for more than two months.

Fletcher Building plunged more than 8% after cutting its dividend, and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand kept the official cash rate unchanged as the NZ sharemarket shed half a percent.

The New Zealand sharemarket lacked any real impetus and traded flat while waiting for the local company reporting season to heat up.

The New Zealand sharemarket slipped slightly but leading gentailer Contact produced “a solid set of numbers” on the first day of the latest company reporting season.

The New Zealand sharemarket had a handy gain after four successive down days, with the country’s biggest company, Fonterra, providing a positive earnings outlook.

The New Zealand sharemarket drifted further on uncertainty about United States inflation and the China economy, while the world’s largest investment fund BlackRock added some intrigue.