MARKET CLOSE NZ shares rise; MRP, Contact, Meridian gain as yield draws investors

MARKET CLOSE NZ shares rise; MRP, Contact, Meridian gain as yield draws investors
By Suze Metherell March 25 (BusinessDesk) – New Zealand stocks rose, paced by energy companies, amid polls showing a regulation—prone Labour-Greens coalition won’t win power in September. MightyRiverPower, Meridian Energy and Contact Energy, which offer relatively attractive dividend yields, all gained. The NZX 50 Index rose 12.077 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5130.695. Within the index, 25 stocks rose, 14 fell and 11 were unchanged. Turnover was $123.6 million. Opinion polls are projecting a third term for the governing National Party. A ma...