MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares sink as US, China stoush weighs on Asia; Comvita tumbles

MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares sink as US, China stoush weighs on Asia; Comvita tumbles
Paul McBeth
By Paul McBeth Dec. 21 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand shares joined a regional sell-off as fears over the US-China trade dispute and the risk of a federal government shutdown in the US weighed on investor sentiment. Comvita sank as it exited the benchmark index.  The S&P/NZX dropped 86 points, or 1 percent, to 8,686.19. Within the index, 40 stocks fell, five gained and five were unchanged. Turnover was $234.8 million, bolstered by a flurry of late activity as institutional investors adjusted portfolios to reflect index changes.  Stocks a...