PremiumGraham SkellernBusinessDesk·21 Jul, 2026 06:21 AM5 mins to readHydro lakes, like the South Island's Lake Pūkaki, are brimming, wholesale electricity prices have fallen from $78MWh to $46MWh, but household bills are still rising. Image / NZMEThe New Zealand sharemarket had a topsy-turvy day after the inflation rate hit its highest level in more than two years.The S&P/NZX 50 Index fell to an intraday low of 13, 635.78 after Stats NZ announced annual inflation was 4.1% at the end of the June quarter.

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