KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's sharemarket ignored offshore weakness and returned to positive form today, with Sky City the star performer.
The casino operator was traded heavily after news of a second unnamed player entering into due diligence, sending shares up 7c to 540 on a busy $53m turnover.
Overall the NZSX-50 benchmark index rose a mild 0.2 per cent or 9.67 points to 4321.83 on volume worth $143m, reversing two days of low activity.
"The market has held its own despite international markets being weaker overnight" Goldman Sachs JB Were dealer Peter Sigley said.
Top stock Telecom was also sought, up 5c to 452 on no specific news.
"I guess people continue to chase a bit of yield and a bit of a turnaround with new management in place there," Mr Sigley said.
As the New Zealand dollar dipped, currency-sensitive stocks enjoyed a bounce. They included fishing company Sanford, up 6c to 427, GPG up 3c to 194 and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare up 4c to 337.
Rakon rose 11c to 500, adding to yesterday's 7c rise also on the back of the weaker currency.
But Fisher & Paykel Appliances was flat to 369 after the North American Home Buyers index fell to its lowest level on record. The index is strongly linked to the sale of appliances in the US.
Other moves included Contact Energy unchanged at 943, NZ Oil and Gas up 2c to 109, Sky TV up 7c to 582, Michael Hill down 31c to 1049, and Auckland Airport down 2c to 302.
Fletcher Building ran out of puff after trading well earlier in the week, down 9c to 1268.
- NZPA