KEY POINTS:
The sharemarket was a touch improved this morning despite weakness in the top stocks, as it began the last session of 2007.
Shortly after opening, the benchmark NZSX-50 index was up 0.9 point at 4036.86, about 300 points shy of its record high in May. Turnover was a tiny $8 million, ahead of a two-day market holiday.
Among the blue chips, Telecom fell a cent to 437, Fletcher Building was down 3c at 1130, Contact Energy rose 2c to 827, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare rose 3c to 350, and F&P Appliances was up a cent at 345.
Other top-50 stocks to rise were Pumpkin Patch, up 10c at 265, retirement home operator Ryman, 3c at 206, TrustPower, 10c at 865, and Goodman Property Trust, 2c at 142.
On the slide were Air New Zealand, a cent lower at 201, Cavalier Carpets, down 2c at 280, PGG Wrightson, 3c at 217, and Property For Industry, a cent at 139.
Auckland International Airport was steady at 294.
- NZPA