The New Zealand sharemarket rose in Tuesday trading, with the benchmark NZX 50 index up 19.9 points (0.6%) to close at 3225.1.
The Australian share market closed at a two-month high amid light trading, following gains on United States markets.
At the 1615 AEDT close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index had risen 54.2 points, or 1.13%, to 4845.1 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index had lifted 53.4 points, or 1.11%, to 4,856.7 points.
The market last closed above 4850 points on 23 October.
Japan edges up
Japan's Nikkei average eked out a four-month closing high on Tuesday, buoyed by trading firms such as Mitsui & Co after gains in oil and metals prices, while automakers also edged up.
In thin and choppy trade on the second to last trading day of 2009, the benchmark Nikkei spent much of the day in negative territory before edging up a mere 3.83 points to 10,638.06.
The broader Topix rose 0.1% to 915.87.
