SYDNEY, Feb 14 (Reuters) - AMP Ltd AMP.AX, Australia's top pension administrator, missed estimates with a 10 percent rise in full-year underlying profit, but said it was well positioned to grow despite current market volatility.

WELLINGTON, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Growth in New Zealand's manufacturing sector slowed marginally in January, a survey showed on Thursday, as a strong currency and tight labour market caused concern for manufacturers.

Analysts expect official figures due out today will show the unemployment rate remains at record lows.

ASB Bank, a unit of Commonwealth Bank of Australia, has reported its December half year net profit rose 12 per cent to & #36;266 million.

A union official says arriving at a redundancy package for Mitsubishi workers in Adelaide is likely to be extremely tough.

SYDNEY, Feb 14 (Reuters) - The Australian dollar held above one-week lows against the U.S. currency on Thursday, ahead of employment data, which is expected to reinforce views that demand in the domestic economy is strong.

Catalogue, magazine and book printer PMP Ltd has reaffirmed its full year guidance after posting jump in first half net profit, helped by a large tax benefit.

The Federal Opposition says former Victorian premier Steve Bracks is not qualified to lead a review of the Australian car industry.

Just a week after being blasted by the Federal Government for raising interest rates beyond official moves by the Reserve Bank, the Commonwealth Bank will not rule out doing it all again.

FEBRUARY, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Australian shares rose 1.6 percent in early trade on Thursday, spurred by the top miners, but the market trailed Wall Street's gains as investors focused on disappointing earnings from the likes of insurer AMP Ltd

Clothing retailer Specialty Fashion Group has booked a 5% rise in first half net profit and warned a slowdown in consumer spending could affect business.

MELBOURNE, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Australian shares rose 1.6 percent in early trade on Thursday, spurred by the top miners, but the market trailed Wall Street's gains as investors focused on disappointing earnings from insurer AMP Ltd AMP.AX.

SYDNEY, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Lenders to troubled Australian investment group Allco Finance AFG.AX have called in a corporate restructuring team in a bid to secure their investment and ensure the group's viability, Australian media reported on Thursday.

WELLINGTON, Feb 14 (Reuters) - New Zealand's biggest electricity and gas distributor Vector Ltd. VCT.NZ reported an 18 percent decline in half-year profit due to higher depreciation and interest costs, but was upbeat on its full-year outlook.

SYDNEY, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Australian shares are expected to rise on Thursday, following a positive lead from Wall Street, but investors will also focus on another raft of corporate earnings.

WELLINGTON, Feb 14 (Reuters) - New Zealand food prices rose 0.4 percent in January from the previous month, driven by higher prices for some dairy products and other groceries, according to official data released on Thursday.

AMP Ltd has posted an eight per cent rise in annual profit and says it's well positioned despite ongoing turmoil in financial markets.

NEW YORK (AFP) - Wall Street investment giant Morgan Stanley said Wednesday it would eliminate 1,000 jobs as it scales back residential mortgage operations in response to the US housing slump.

FRANKFURT (AFP) - The government will lead a fresh rescue package worth 1.5 billion euros (2.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US State Department said Wednesday it & quot;fully supports & quot; ExxonMobil's bid to receive a fair compensation package for its assets in a dispute with Venezuela.