New Zealand shares closed 0.93 percent lower Monday following falls in some leading stocks during thin trade, dealers said. The benchmark NZX-50 index fell 29.19 points to 3,098.80 on turnover worth 73.8 million dollars (53.3 million US). There were 53 falls and 30 rises among the 116 stocks traded.
An 18 cent fall in Fletcher Building to 7.60 dollars pulled down the broader index, along with a 10 cent fall in Fisher & Paykel Healthcare to 3.24 and a five cent fall in casino operator Sky City to 3.27. It is the first of four exploration wells in the company's summer drilling programme. Allied Farmers rose a cent to 20 cents, Cavalier added 10 cents to 2.55, New Zealand Farming Systems Uruguay gained a cent to 48 cents and Port of Tauranga was up 14 cents at 6.99. Restaurant Brands rose three cents to 1.58 dollars, Freightways added six cents to 3.17 and Contact Energy fell 10 cents to 5.70.