New Zealand shares snapped five days of gains, led lower by Gentrack as investors fretted over how the utilities software developer will cope with ongoing turmoil in Britain’s electricity market.

The S&P/NZX 50 Index rose 4.9 percent in November as retirement village operators were boosted by potential merger and acquisition activity and A2 Milk mounted a comeback on strong earnings guidance.

The S&P/NZX 50 Index hit a record as investor sentiment was buoyed by a recovery in the latest business confidence survey and a better than expected earnings season, and a growing appetite among private equity buyers to pursue mergers and acquisitions.

NZ shares rose as Fisher & Paykel Healthcare gained, cracking $12 billion in market value after lifting first-half profit.

The S&P/NZX 50 Index rose back above 11,000 as the official MSCI New Zealand Index reweightings drove more than half a billion dollars of activity in the market's busiest day for almost a year-and-a-half.

New Zealand shares were buoyed by upbeat sentiment across Asia as investors clung to hopes that a China-US trade deal could be reached before the end of the year.

New Zealand shares fell, led lower by Gentrack, after the utilities software developer downgraded its earnings and gave a flat outlook for 2020.

New Zealand shares joined the lull across Asia-Pacific markets as investors grow increasingly pessimistic about China-US trade relations. Ryman Healthcare fell on disappointment that its earnings forecast wasn't stronger.

New Zealand shares were led higher by Metlifecare after the retirement village operator said it had attracted a sub-par offer from a credible buyer.

New Zealand shares were led higher by A2 Milk after the firm gave upbeat earnings and margin guidance, more than offsetting a five-month low for Ebos Group when its cornerstone shareholder pared back its holding.

New Zealand shares fell as investor confidence was dented by profit warnings from Sky Network Television and Steel & Tube Holdings.

New Zealand shares edged lower as electricity companies remained under pressure as the future of the Tiwai Point smelter remains uncertain and after a weak operating update from Contact Energy.

New Zealand shares recovered some of yesterday’s sell-off as investors digested the impact of the Reserve Bank's announcement yesterday of an unchanged 1 percent cash rate on high-yield stocks.

New Zealand shares fell after the Reserve Bank surprised investors by keeping the official cash rate at 1 percent, meaning stocks held for reliable dividends didn't become even more attractive from ever-lower interest rates.

New Zealand shares edged higher as Mercury NZ's decision to press ahead with the second stage of what will be the country's biggest wind farm had some investors revisiting their fears of the energy-hungry Tiwai Point smelter closing.

New Zealand shares gained, led by Summerset Group, as retirement village operators extended their gains following signs of a recovery in the Auckland property market. Abano Healthcare jumped on a takeover bid.