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Australian shares end at over 10-1/2 yr high on strong earnings; NZ up

Published 15/08/2018, 04:45 pm
© Reuters.  Australian shares end at over 10-1/2 yr high on strong earnings; NZ up
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* Aussie shares rise to more than 10-1/2 yr high

* CSL and Wesfarmers rise to record highs

* Financials fall on CBA and IAG (LON:ICAG) weakness

* NZ ticks up on Spark New Zealand rally (Updates to close)

Aug 15 (Reuters) - Australian shares closed at a more than 10-1/2 year high on Wednesday, led by gains in biotherapeutics firm CSL and conglomerate Wesfarmers after both groups posted strong earnings.

The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO firmed 0.5 percent or 29.4 points to 6,329 at the close of trade. The benchmark rose 0.8 percent on Tuesday.

CSL Ltd CSL.AX , the country's fifth largest firm by market value, posted a near 30 percent rise in annual net profit on Wednesday. news drove the drugmaker's shares 6.4 percent higher to their highest close, which helped push the wider healthcare sector index .AXHJ to a record high.

Meanwhile, Wesfarmers Ltd WES.AX posted record earnings in its core divisions, sending its shares 3.2 percent higher to a record. top lender Commonwealth Bank of Australia CBA.AX and Insurance Australia Group Ltd IAG.AX slumped, capping gains in the benchmark.

Shares of CBA, which traded ex-dividend, declined 2.5 percent, also dragging the benchmark.

Insurance Australia Group IAG.AX dipped 5.8 percent to a near four-month low after the insurer flagged a subdued earnings outlook and reported a modest rise in full-year profit, driven by lower investment income. stocks also accumulated losses, underpinned by lower base metals prices and a fall in Chinese iron ore futures.

Global miner BHP BHP.AX slipped 0.4 percent, while its spin-off South32 Ltd S32.AX tumbled 3.7 percent.

Across the Tasman sea, New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 rose 0.2 percent or 15.55 points to finish the session at 8,987.49.

Telecommunication services stocks led the gains, with Spark New Zealand Ltd SPK.NZ rising 1.2 percent to a near one-year high.

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