New Zealand shares gained with global equity markets in the absence of local corporate news, with Metro Performance Glass and Sky Network Television rising while Freightways dropped.
The S&P/NZX 50 Index rose 12.05 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 8455.55. Within the index, 23 stocks gained, 15 fell and 12 were unchanged. Turnover was $122 million.
"There's no new fundamental news at all," said Matt Goodson, managing director at Salt Funds Management. "It's really just flow driven on light volumes, not much meaning can be read into price movements at the moment."
"There have been some brokers' stock picks for the year published - every year you see a little rush into those names, at a time of year where the market is almost illiquid," Goodson said. "Give it a few weeks and that will fall out."
MetroGlass led the index higher, rising 2 per cent to $1.03, while Sky TV gained 1.8 per cent to $2.85.