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By Nikhil Nainan
Feb 19 (Reuters) - Australian shares closed higher on Wednesday as CSL CSL.AX and Cochlear COH.AX hit record highs and worries about the coronavirus epidemic waned as the number of new cases fell.
The two stocks helped lift the S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO up 0.4% to 7,144.6 and ended two straight sessions of losses.
Hearing implant maker Cochlear jumped 11% as its rival Sonova SOON.S recalled some of its devices. Cochlear had fallen more than 7% since lowered its profit forecast last week. firm CSL ended the session up 3%. Both companies tend also tend to benefit from a weaker Australian dollar, which has been declining on fears about the hit to global growth from the coronavirus outbreak. AUD/
Meanwhile, expectations of an interest rate cut by the country's central bank gained ground after data showed wages in the last quarter of 2019 grew at a tepid pace. Economics expects wage growth to weaken further in the coming quarters, while Citigroup (NYSE:C) said that a worsening in the unemployment rate could see a more dovish central bank.
In company news, retail-to-chemicals conglomerate Wesfarmers WES.AX posted a jump in first-half profit, lifting shares up nearly 3%. Metals Group FMG.AX reported a near four-fold jump in half-year profit as it cashed in on higher iron ore prices like its peers. Shares were up 0.7% as the miner offered shareholders a lower-than-expected dividend. with dwindling Chinese travellers, casino operator Crown Resorts CWN.AX dipped 0.3% as its half-yearly profit fell on weak gambling turnover. race for Caltex Australia CTX.AX officially turned into a two-horse race on Wednesday when the convenience store, petrol station and refinery firm said EG Group made a rival offer. Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 rose 0.4% to 11,981.
The rise was supported by a more than 4% bump by Fletcher Building FBU.NZ . The builder posted a drop in half-year profit, in line with the company's expectations, and said it would sell its Australian concrete supply business.