MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares mixed; Spark gains, Kathmandu falls before earnings

MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares mixed; Spark gains, Kathmandu falls before earnings
By Jonathan Underhill March 23 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand shares were mixed, with the benchmark index rising but more stocks in decline. Spark New Zealand led gainers while Kathmandu fell ahead of the release of the retailer's first-half earnings tomorrow. The NZX 50 Index rose 3.851 points, or 0.1 percent, to 5875.227. Within the index, 18 stocks rose, 21 fell and 11 were unchanged. Turnover was $176 million, of which $69 million was Spark and Fletcher Building alone. Spark rose 2.8 percent to $3.155 ahead of shedding its 9 cents a...