NZ stocks: Shares firm in mixed trade

12.45pm

The New Zealand sharemarket firmed slightly in mixed trading this morning.

Shortly after midday the NZSX-50 gross index was 5.33 points higher at 2745.30, while NZSX all capital index was 0.84 points higher at 920.63.

Total turnover was worth $41.88 million and stocks rising outnumbered those falling 38 to 25 on 112 traded.

Market leader Telecom was a cent higher at 585, a gain matched by number two and three stocks Contact Energy and Carter Holt Harvey at 580 and 248 respectively.

Auckland International Airport (AIA) was unchanged at 725 after posting a June year net profit after tax of $94.3 million, up 13 per cent on the previous year.

BayCorp Advantage rose 10c to 335 after reporting a full year profit of A$29.2 million, up 56 per cent on last year.

Financial services group Promina was up 16c to 462.

Meanwhile Sir Ron Brierley's Guinness Peat Group (GPG) was up 2c to 197 after this morning reporting a "modest" £5 million ($14.01 million) profit for the six months to June.

Sir Ron said the figure was not an accurate indicator of its full year result, "when various transactions now under discussion or negotiation are likely to come to fruition".

NGC Holdings was up 5c to 300 after Australian Gas Light (AGL) today said it had appointed an advisor to sell its 66 per cent stake in the company.

Most other moves were fairly small. Oceana Gold was up 4c to 95, Sky City continued to fall after yesterday's annual result and was down 6c to 451.

Sky TV was down 3c to 535, Tourism Holdings was down 3c to 188, and Trustpower was up 5c to 475.

- NZPA