Reporting season continues on NZX; Here's the latest results

The S&P/NZX 50 index increased 35.42 points, or 0.4 percent, to 9,344.63. Within the index, 30 stocks rose, 16 fell, and four were unchanged. Turnover was $136.8 million.

Earnings season continued, with Freightways up 1.2 percent at $7.90 after the courier and information management firm lifted first-half profit 6 percent. The company said the New Zealand and Australian markets remained positive, however, it was keeping close tabs on domestic economic activity for signs of a downturn.

Meanwhile, Chorus reported a 3.3 percent decline in underlying earnings as copper-line customers converted to fibre products on other local fibre companies. The network operator's targeting a return to earnings growth in the 2020 financial year. The shares increased 0.3 percent to $5.22.

Tom McBride, an investment adviser at Hamilton Hindin Greene, said the Freightways result was positive, while the Chorus earnings were "what you'd expect from an infrastructure company". Both companies traded on lighter than usual volumes of 131,000 and 190,000 shares respectively.