Blue chip and small cap stocks lead the list of expected market performers for the coming year.

New Zealand shares rose in abbreviated trading ahead of the Christmas holiday, led by blue-chip stocks including Auckland Airport and Spark.

Equities on both sides of the Atlantic slipped, as did the US dollar, while oil moved higher.

A2 Milk Co shares gained after the milk marketer played down fears about the infant formula market stemming from ASX-listed rival Bellamy's Australia's extended trading halt.

Intueri's application for an A$6 million uplift in VHF funding has been denied.

New Zealand shares rose as Tegel Group Holdings continued its rebound from last week's record low while Warehouse Group dropped after weaker earnings guidance.

Cooperative Bank chief executive Bruce McLachlan will leave the lender early next year after choosing to take a new leadership position with another New Zealand business.

Wall Street moved higher, as did US Treasuries and gold, as investors remained upbeat about the outlook but also stocked up on more defensive assets.

NZ shares rose, snapping five days of decline, with Tegel Group Holdings and A2 Milk Co recovering from being sold off earlier in the week.

Veritas shares last traded at 22 cents, and have more than halved this year as the company tries to restore profitability.

Wall Street climbed to fresh records, again, while US Treasuries slid.

Wall Street was mixed, after both the Dow and the S&P 500 touched record highs again, while oil prices rallied amid a fresh agreement

New Zealand shares fell, led lower by Spark New Zealand and Scales Corp, while Orion Health Group rose from its record low.

Wall Street climbed to fresh records as optimism about the outlook for the US economy prevailed.

Takeover target Hellaby hints at possible breakup on its own terms.

Wall Street rose, pushing both the Dow and the S&P 500 to record highs.

Concern has been raised after reports that Australia's The Star Entertainment Group wants a merger with SkyCity.

Wall Street rose, with the Dow climbing to a fresh record, as did oil prices.

New Zealand's sharemarket has been buffeted by major events such as the election of Donald Trump and Brexit.

Yields on US Treasuries climbed and Wall Street was mixed, as energy and bank stocks rose.

NZX, the stock market operator, says it has settled all outstanding matters connected to the litigation by Ralec and neither party will appeal the decision.

Oil rallied, as did energy stocks, after OPEC agreed on details to cut output for the first time in eight years.

Energy stocks fell with oil prices amid a stalemate about an agreement to cut production.

Net profit rose to $3.5 million in the six months ended September 30, from $3.2m a year earlier.

NZ shares were mixed as Orion Health Group plunged following its first-half results, while Sky Network Television and Contact Energy gained.

Augusta Capital has filed High Court proceedings seeking orders requiring listed property investor NPT to call a meeting of shareholders to discuss its hostile bid.

OceanaGold Corp, owner of New Zealand's biggest gold mine at Macraes, is to delist from the NZX at the end of the year to reduce compliance costs.

The stock market operator is seeking feedback on plans to tweak rules for market participants such as brokers and advisers.

The media companies have filed a submission in response to the Commerce Commission's draft determination to decline them merging operations.

NZ shares rose, pushing the NZX 50 Index to a three-week high as gains in offshore equity markets helped sentiment in the domestic exchange.