MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares rise, led by Auckland Airport, Chorus on strong earnings

MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares rise, led by Auckland Airport, Chorus on strong earnings
Sophie Boot
By Sophie Boot Feb. 19 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand shares rose, led by Auckland International Airport and Chorus on their strong earnings reports. A2 Milk Co dropped. The S&P/NZX 50 Index rose 30.6 points, or 0.5 percent, to 6,141.72. Within the index, 22 stocks rose, 22 fell and six were unchanged. Turnover was $193 million. Auckland International Airport led the index, up 7.6 percent to $6.34, the highest level since the company split its shares in 2005. The country’s largest airport reported a 25 percent lift in first-half profit d...