Cabinet will consider changing the omicron traffic lights system to wind back mandates and QR code usage. Meanwhile, fresh talk of a peace deal in Ukraine is boosting appetites for stocks and the NZ dollar.
Pushpay Holdings led the index, up 7.3% at $1.17, as it followed US stocks higher and as investors responded to a skew of positive analyst notes.
ASB has allocated $1.4b of its cheap funding to some 4,300 new home builds.
Walker joined the board in Nov 2021 and is currently a non-executive director at the fund manager.