Exporters drive sharemarket higher

The S&P/NZX 50 Index climbed 62.04 points, or 0.6 percent, to 9,908.39. Within the index, 25 stocks rose, 18 fell and seven were unchanged. Turnover was $149 million.

A2 hit a record $16 and ended the day at $15.77, up 3.6 percent on a volume of 1.5 million, more than its 90-day average of 858,000. The milk marketing firm was one of several exporters at the top of the leader board after positive reports about trade negotiations between the world's two biggest economies.

"The previous week was off a wee bit, but the buyers are certainly back in control this week," said Grant Williamson, a director at Hamilton Hindin Greene.

"The main influence from here is A2 - that's just for its weighting in the index."