MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares gain as Contact kicks off earnings season on a bright note

MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares gain as Contact kicks off earnings season on a bright note
Paul McBeth
By Paul McBeth Feb. 11 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand shares rose as Contact Energy's first-half earnings delivered a better-than-expected dividend, giving investors something to cheer at the start of the domestic reporting season. Restaurant Brands New Zealand led the market higher.  The S&P/NZX 50 index gained 33.39 points, or 0.4 percent, to 9,210. Within the index, 28 stocks rose, 13 fell and nine were unchanged. Turnover was $92.3 million, with just four companies trading on volumes of more than a million shares.  Investors have set...