The New Zealand share market surged 62 points, or 2.4%, to close at 2663 on Thursday.
Telecom was up 7 cents to $2.45, while Contact Energy gained 23c to $5.70 and Fletcher Building rose 23c to $6.73.
The Australian share market was also higher after starting strongly on a positive lead from United States markets but easing on weaker than expected figures for economic growth in China.
At the 1615 AEST close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 28.2 points, or 0.75%, higher at 3,775.7, while the broader All Ordinaries index added 31.7 points, or 0.86%, to 3,725.6.
In Japan, shares ended mixed with the benchmark Nikkei index rising 0.14% after Wall Street rallied on hopes that the US recession might be easing.
The Nikkei-225 climbed 12.30 points to 8,755.26, but the broader Topix index of all first section shares fell 3.21 points, or 0.38%, to 832.04.
