The New Zealand sharemarket rose more than 1% in the final week to Christmas – bringing hope that the traditional Santa Claus rally may be on its way.

New Zealand share prices rallied after a raft of index changes for key stocks and a strong business confidence survey helped boost sentiment.

The New Zealand sharemarket was down again as investors remained steady following a strong gross domestic product update for the September quarter from Stats NZ.

An Australian acquisition made good news for Freightways investors, but it was not enough to lift the NZ sharemarket, which dropped close to 1% on Wednesday.

The New Zealand sharemarket put in another steady performance amid continued volatility offshore, especially in the United States.

Seeka and PGG Wrightson provided some optimism for the economic recovery with earnings upgrades, helping fuel a decent turnaround in the New Zealand sharemarket.

The New Zealand sharemarket managed to eke out a slight gain as investors continued to tread water before the end of the year.

The New Zealand sharemarket lifted marginally after a quiet day, with retirement stocks benefiting from the lull.The New Zealand sharemarket lifted marginally after a quiet day, with retirement stocks benefiting from the lull.

The New Zealand sharemarket closed down on Wednesday, led by a sell-off of Gentrack and property stocks as the market reacted to Westpac’s home loan rate increase.

The New Zealand sharemarket was decidedly cautious as Westpac increased its longer-term mortgage rates and the Reserve Bank of Australia kept its cash rate on hold.

The New Zealand sharemarket finished flat after a sharp late fall as investors eagerly awaited a further interest rate cut in the United States.

Falls in some leading stocks helped mask a positive tone for others, leaving the New Zealand sharemarket lower on the day.

One large transaction for Ebos Group led down the NZ sharemarket, as the market’s largest participants followed suit.

The New Zealand sharemarket rose late on Wednesday to finish in positive territory, with Fonterra and a2 Milk making gains following a weak dairy auction.

Heavyweights Fisher and Paykel Healthcare, Auckland International Airport and Infratil led the New Zealand sharemarket to a handy gain despite a sharp Wall Street dip on cryptocurrency concerns.

The New Zealand sharemarket opened the new month on a quiet note, but investor sentiment is building for a solid finish to the year as the economic recovery takes hold.