Wall Street eked out gains as merger and takeover activity outweighed concern about rising oil prices and escalating chaos in Iraq and an IMF downgrade in its US economic growth forecast. In the final hour of trading in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.05 percent, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index added 0.09 percent, while the Nasdaq …

New Zealand manufacturing sales volumes rose a seasonally adjusted 0.5 percent in the first quarter, led by gains in chemical and petroleum manufacturing. Chemical, polymer, and rubber product manufacturing volumes rose 8.5 percent helped by increased production at New Plymouth-based Methanex New Zealand and following a 0.5 percent drop in the previous quarter, Statistics New Zealand said. Petroleum and coal …

New Zealand shares fell. Nuplex Industries dropped to a nine-month low after cutting its full-year earnings guidance. New Zealand Oil & Gas declined after it said costs for its offshore explorations in the Taranaki Basin had climbed to US$40 million from US$27 million. The NZX 50 Index fell 7.946 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5179.403. Within the index, 25 shares fell, 18 rose and seven were unchanged. …