The Commerce Commission has cleared rental equipment operator Hirepool to buy Hirequip out of receivership, saying the two operate in different sectors and are hindered by their rivals. The regulator didn’t find any significant overlap between Hirepool and Hirequip in the hire of heavy construction and earthworks equipment, and that a merged entity would be constrained by competition at a …

New Zealand shares fell, pushing the NZX 50 Index to a month-low as Skellerup Holdings and Nuplex Industries missed profit expectations and cut guidance, and Fletcher Building continued its correction following its results yesterday. The NZX 50 fell 43.81 points, or 1 percent, to 4170.4, the lowest close since Jan. 18. Within the index, 26 stocks fell, 12 rose and …

Solid Energy, the state-owned coal miner whose chief executive quit this month, is in talks with its banks because of its deteriorating financial position. The coal miner, which is carrying some $389 million of debt, is heading for a “significant” first half loss, chairman Mark Ford said in a statement. “We are in discussions with our banks and Treasury on …