UPDATE: Contact first-half earnings fall 11% as dry spell saps generation

UPDATE: Contact first-half earnings fall 11% as dry spell saps generation
(Adds detail from 6th paragraph) By Paul McBeth Feb. 12 (BusinessDesk) - Contact Energy's first-half earnings fell 11 percent as the electricity generator-retailer faced a dry spell which sapped its hydro generation in what it described as a "highly competitive" market.  Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and changes in the value of financial instruments, a measure in the electricity sector to demonstrate performance shorn of one-off factors, dropped to $236 million in the six months ended Dec. 31 from $264 milli...