(Corrects figures in second, seventh and eighth paragraphs)

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Healthcare, industrials sectors lead gains

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Business travel software maker Serko tops benchmark

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Q4 labour market report due next week in focus

Jan 26 (Reuters) - New Zealand shares bounced back from early losses on Thursday to close at their highest since April 11, with healthcare and industrial stocks leading the pack, while easing inflation raised hopes for a slowdown in the pace of rate hikes.

The benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index closed 0.2% higher at 12,023.46 after falling 0.2% earlier in the day.

Data on Wednesday showed annual inflation rose to 7.2% in the fourth quarter, below the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's 7.5% target, signalling that price pressures have begun to ease.

"The CPI data has hinted that inflation may have peaked, therefore investors are now starting to buy back into those stocks that have been hit very hard by rising interest rates and inflation," said Grant Williamson, an investment adviser from Hamilton Hindin Greene.

Market players are now awaiting a labour market report due next week that could influence the central bank's rate-hike path.

Analysts from ANZ expect the central bank to reduce its rate hike to 50 basis points in February from 75 bps amid signs that deteriorating demand have become increasingly established and forward indications of labour have softened in recent months.

Among individual stocks, business travel software maker Serko Ltd topped the benchmark with a 6.6% gain, while retirement village operator Ryman Healthcare advanced 2.2% in its fifth straight rise.

Real estate developers Goodman Property and Kiwi Property lost 1.9% and 0.5%, respectively.

Markets in Australia were closed on account of a public holiday. (Reporting by Archishma Iyer and John Biju in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)