MARKET CLOSE NZ shares rise to 3-mth high as earnings loom; Fletcher, KMD gain

MARKET CLOSE NZ shares rise to 3-mth high as earnings loom; Fletcher, KMD gain
By Hannah Lynch Aug. 7 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand shares rose to a three-month high on speculation earnings season will show companies are making some headway in a subdued economy. The gains were paced by companies as diverse as Kathmandu, Fletcher Building and Chorus. The NZX 50 Index rose 21.61 points, or 0.6 percent, to 3584.81, the highest since May 2. Within the index, 27 stocks rose, seven fell and 16 were unchanged. Turnover was $73.7 million. New Zealand’s listed companies will lift normalised per-share earnings by a median 6.1 pe...