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SYDNEY, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Australian shares rose 1.3 percent in a shortened Christmas Eve session on Thursday. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N14D05Q
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO gained 65.8 points to 5,207.6 at the close of trade, its seventh straight day of gains and its longest winning streak since late January. It added 0.5 percent on Wednesday.
Most analysts expect the market to continue the positive trend into the New Year.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 rose 0.5 percent or 30.2 points to finish the session at a record high of 6,225.5.