MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares follow Asia higher led by blue chip stocks Spark, F&P Healthcare

MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares follow Asia higher led by blue chip stocks Spark, F&P Healthcare
Paul McBeth
By Paul McBeth Aug. 1 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand shares rose, following Asia higher, as blue chip stocks including Spark New Zealand and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare helped drag the benchmark index up, offsetting a bigger number of smaller firms declining.  The S&P/NZX 50 index increased 35.45 points, or 0.5 percent, to 7729.44. Within the index 16 stocks gained, 21 fell and 13 were unchanged. Turnover was $139 million.  Stocks across Asia gained, followed Wall Street's cue where the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached a new record as...