MARKET CLOSE NZ shares rise on Contact profit, Fletcher gains before earnings

MARKET CLOSE NZ shares rise on Contact profit, Fletcher gains before earnings
Feb. 19 (BusinessDesk) – New Zealand shares rose as Contact Energy met expectations for first-half earnings growth and Fletcher Building gained on optimism its interim results tomorrow will show some recovery in Australia and more activity in Christchurch. The NZX 50 Index rose 29.73 points, or 0.7 percent, to 4244.21. Within the index, 23 stocks rose, 17 fell and 10 were unchanged. Turnover was $113 million. Contact, the biggest power company on the NZX 50, gained 3.4 percent to $5.25 after reporting a 29 percent jump in interim profit to $...