Shane Solly, portfolio manager with Harbour Asset Management, said it's always a positive signal when a person deep in the business like Braid is buying more stock.
Travel and leisure stocks had a rebound after they showed some strength in offshore markets overnight. Online travel provider Serko rose 29c or 4.33 per cent to $6.99; SkyCity Entertainment was up 8c or 2.68 per cent to $3.07; and Air New Zealand gained 2c to $1.525.
SkyCity told the market it is expanding its online gaming interests. SkyCity is providing €25m ($41.69m) to Gaming Innovation Group which is buying France-Pari/Sportnco. SkyCity will have an 11 per cent stake in Gaming Innovation which is listed on the Oslo and Stockholm stock exchanges.
Chorus gained 13c or 1.85 per cent to $7.14; Ryman Healthcare was up 13c to $12.20; and fellow retirement village operator Summerset Group Holdings increased 10c to $12.95.
PGG Wrightson continued a good run, rising 7c to $4.98; Sky Network Television picked up 7c or 2.71 per cent to $2.65; and TradeWindow collected 3c to $1.89.
South Port New Zealand, which operates at Bluff, recovered the ground it lost the day before, rising 20c or 2.38 per cent to $8.60.
Market leader Fisher and Paykel Healthcare had a late turnaround, falling 11c to $32.85 after reaching an intraday high of $33.14. Mercury Energy was down 6.5c to $6.12; a2 Milk declined 9c to $5.81; and Fletcher Building decreased 5c to $7.10.
Restaurant Brands fell 53c or 3.58 per cent to $14.26; Napier Port declined 5c to $3.04; NZX shed 4c or 2.16 per cent to $1.81; Pacific Edge was down 4c or 3.01 per cent to $1.29; hospitality group Savor slipped 7c or 12.96 per cent to 47c; and Tourism Holdings was down 5c to $2.95..
Goodman Property Trust has bought a 3.2ha site in Albany to build a second parcel processing centre for NZ Post. Another centre is under way in Mt Roskill to add to Goodman's $440m worth of development activity. Goodman has also bought the Oji Fibre Solutions facility in Penrose for $605m and its share price was down 4.5c to $2.555.
Among other property companies Property for Industry rose 2.5c $2.93; Precinct Properties was up 2.5c to $1.64; and Vital Healthcare Property Trust was down 5c to $3.07.
Scott Technology fell another 16c or 4.91 per cent to $3.10 even though it has some solid manufacturing contracts under its belt and reached a high of $3.76 on December 8.
Promisia Healthcare has signed a conditional agreement to buy the Christchurch Aldwins House, accommodating 145 residents, for $13m and its share price was unchanged at 0.001c.
Two companies developed in New Zealand but listed on the Nasdaq Composite Index are nearing Christmas on a strong note. Rocket Lab USA increased to US$12.36 ($18.14) overnight after listing at US$10 and reaching a high of $20.60 on September 9. Allbirds is at US$17.41 after listing at US$15 and quickly going to $28.89.