NZ stocks: Market follows international trend into the red

12.15pm

The New Zealand sharemarket followed international markets down this morning.

The benchmark NZSX-50 gross index fell 6.68 points, or 0.27 per cent, to 2510.80 just after 11.30am this morning. The NZSX-40 capital index was down 6.26 points, or 0.27 per cent at 2273.71.

Market leader Telecom was down 2c at 580.

Turnover in the top stock accounted for $10.7 million of the market's total turnover of $29.9 million.

There were 18 rises and 43 falls in the 113 stocks traded by 11.30am.

Air New Zealand was unchanged at 38 cents, as investors appeared unmoved by news the company faces a potentially huge tax bill for its Hong Kong subsidiary.

Stocks heading south this morning included: Fisher & Paykel Appliances down 5c at 423, F&P Healthcare down 6c at 1174, Lion Nathan down 5c at 677, Sky City Entertainment down 2c at 426, Sky Network TV down 4c at 525, the Warehouse down 1c at 437 and Waste Management down 3c at 427.

The few stocks to rise included stock exchange operator NZX, up 4c to 834, Carter Holt Harvey up 1c to 198 and Vending Group, which surged 10c, or 10.75 per cent, to 103

Internationally, security and terrorism concerns spooked markets.

Over £20 billion ($56.6 billion) was wiped off the value of Britain's biggest shares on Monday.

Nearly every FTSE 100 stock closed in the red, dragging the blue-chip index down 83.9 points, or 1.9 per cent, to 4333.8 -- its worst finish since December 16.

- NZPA