Trustpower led the market higher, up 2.8 per cent at $6.61 on a volume of 551,000 shares, almost 10-times the 63,000 three-monthly average. Genesis hit a record $3.22, ending the day at $3.195, up 2.4 per cent on a volume of 948,000 shares, almost three times its 90-day average.
Meridian Energy increased 0.8 per cent to $4.175 on a volume of 1.3 million shares. It shed rights to dividends of 7.94 cents per share. Vector fell 0.6 per cent, or 2 cents, to $3.54 after shedding rights to an 8.25 cent dividend.
Lister said exporters typically benefit from the low rate environment devaluing the kiwi dollar and increasing the value of returns earned overseas.
Pushpay Holdings, which earns most of its revenue in the US, rose 1 per cent to $3.10 on a volume of about 2 million shares, almost five-times it 405,000 average. A2 Milk was up 1.8 per cent at $14.22 on a volume of 804,000. Mainfreight rose 0.6 per cent to $35.90 on average volumes.
Scales Corp increased 1.9 per cent to $4.89 on a volume of 248,000 shares, more than twice its average, and Sanford increased 1.5 per cent to $6.80 on typically light trading of 23,000 shares.
Chorus rose 2.3 per cent to a record $5.90 on a volume of 186,000, smaller than the 559,000 90-day average. The network operator today pitched a price for retail broadband providers to attach their own electronics directly to the fibre network, a practice known as unbundling.
Spark New Zealand was the most traded stock at 2.4 million, less than half the usual trading. The shares increased by 0.1 per cent to $3.82.
Air New Zealand rose 2.3 per cent to $2.47 on a bigger than usual volume of 1.6 million. The national carrier today outlined plans to cut $60m from its annual spending on top of $50m of savings already flagged. It will also put off $750m of capital spending to upgrade its fleet.
Lister said investors latched on to the positives in the review in that the airline is responding to a cooling transport and tourism market.
"The odds are still against Air New Zealand over the medium-term - the cycle is against them," he said.
Auckland International Airport, the country's biggest airport operator, fell 0.6 per cent to $8.15 on a volume of 1.3 million shares. It hit a record $8.235 yesterday.
Sky Network Television was the weakest performer on the benchmark index, down 2.2 per cent at $1.31 on a volume of 426,000 shares, less than half its three-monthly average. Former chief executive John Fellet unexpectedly left the board today, just over a month since handing over management to Martin Stewart.
Greg Smith, head of research at Fat Prophets said Fellet's exit was the right call and will give Stewart freeer rein in installing a new senior leadership team.
"The incumbent management team have stood by for years and watched massive disruption and destruction in shareholder value without lifting a finger and with an air of extreme complacency," Smith said.
"They would only cramp Stewart's style and he doesn't need them chirping in his ear."
Mercury NZ fell from a record, down 1.4 per cent at $3.875. The power company yesterday announced plans to start work on a $256m wind farm in August.
Fletcher Building rose 2.5 per cent to $4.95 on a smaller volume than usual of 648,000.
