MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares fall as investors wait for leads; Xero, Kathmandu down, Tower rises

MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares fall as investors wait for leads; Xero, Kathmandu down, Tower rises
Sophie Boot
By Sophie Boot Jan. 26 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand shares followed Asian markets lower as the Australia Day holiday left the local bourse short of its traditional lead. Xero and Kathmandu Holdings declined, while Tower rose. The S&P/NZX 50 Index dropped 33.08 points, or 0.5 percent, to 6142.16. Within the index, 29 stocks fell, 14 rose and seven were unchanged. Turnover was a lighter than usual $87 million.  Stocks across Asia fell, following Wall Street's lead, as weak oil prices continue to erode investors' appetite for riskier asse...