The NZX50 index rose 34 points, or 1%, at 3416 on turnover of $101 million.
When the markets closed the NZ dollar was buying 77.57 US cents, 78.08 Australian cents, 50.1 British pence, 61.77 Japanese yen and 0.618 euro. The Trade Weighted Index was at 70.71.
Fletcher Building was up 2 cents at $6.15, Telecom was up 7 cents at $2.40 and Chorus was up 12 cents at $3.15.
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare was up 6 cents at $2.07 and Fisher & Paykel Appliances was up 0.5 cent at 53.5 cents.
Sky City Entertainment was up 6 cents at $3.47, after news on Wednesday that the Auditor General's office is investigating the Government's contentious deal with the casino operator to build a convention centre in Auckland.
Sky TV was up 4 cents at $4.94.
Contact Energy was up 7 cents at $4.69, Auckland International Airport was unchanged at $2.475 and Air New Zealand was down 0.5 cent at 84.5 cents.
Vector was unchanged at $2.63, Infratil was down 1 cent at $1.99 and Port of Tauranga was up 19 cents at $11.00.
Freightway was up 9 cents at $3.63 and Mainfreight was down 4 cents at $9.72.
Kathmandu was up 1 cent at $1.44, Michael Hill was up 2 cents at $1.02 and Pumpkin Patch was down 2 cents at 91 cents.
Trade Me was unchanged at $3.65.