(Reuters) - New Zealand shares ended at their highest in more than weeks on Monday after a strong showing by the business-friendly National Party in weekend elections. Australian shares ended flat.
The benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index <.NZ50> rose 0.7 percent, or 54.99 points to finish the session at 7,869.77, posting its biggest intraday percentage gain in nearly six weeks.
While the ruling National Party won the largest number votes in the general election, neither of the major parties secured enough seats to have a majority in parliament, forcing them to rely on the nationalist New Zealand First Party to form a coalition.
Consumer staples and materials led the gains, with a2 Milk Company Ltd <ATM.NZ> up 3 percent and hitting its highest level in nearly two weeks and Fletcher Building Ltd <FBU.NZ> adding 2.7 percent.
A2 Milk was the biggest gainer on the index, followed by Skycity Entertainment Group Ltd <SKC.NZ> climbing nearly 3 percent.
Meanwhile, Australia shares ended flat, with gains in the healthcare, material and industrial stocks offsetting losses in other sectors.
The S&P/ASX 200 index <.AXJO> rose 0.03 percent, or 1.563 points to 5,683.7 at the close of trade. The benchmark rose 0.5 percent on Friday.
A2 Milk's Australian shares <A2M.AX> was the top gainer on the index, rising 3.6 percent and hitting record highs, with Regis Healthcare Ltd <REG.AX>, the second top gainer, adding 3.3 percent.
(Reporting By Christina Martin in Bengaluru)
