New Zealand shares rose today. The benchmark Top 50 Index was up 43 points to 5014.
Hamilton, Hinden, Green director Grant Williamson said the market was stronger in line with Wall Street.
He said it was a good day for the local market on the back of a stronger American market overnight and some reasonable financial results.
Mr Williamson said a number of blue chip financial stocks rose, but Hallensteins was forced to revise its guidance due to difficult retail conditions and weather conditions.
He said Chatham Rock Phosphate also lost significant ground on the Environmental Protection Agency reviewing their mining application but Xero rebounded on the back of the American market overnight.
Mr Williamson said some nervousness in the local market could be expected as the election gets closer.
Pyne Gould's share price rose 8 cents to 43 cents.
Xero rose $1.70 to $23.
Chatham Rock Phosphate's share price fell 5 cents to 15 cents.
Hallensteins fell 23 cents to $2.82.
NZ dollar down half a US cent
The New Zealand dollar fell over half-a-US-cent in heavy trading, ahead of the global dairy auction, which takes place overnight.
ASB Bank head of external foreign exchange Tim Kelleher said the currency was hit by some local economic data.
He said the producers' price index numbers were weaker which was not surprising given the dairy numbers were lower this quarter.
Mr Kelleher said there was a pre-election fiscal update which showed a slight downgrade in the growth forecast by Treasury and the Reserve Bank inflation expectations were also slightly lower than expected.
At about 5pm, the kiwi was trading at 84.42 US cents, at 90.38 Australian cents, 50.44 British pence, 0.6314 euro, 86.52 yen and 5.18 renminbi.
