Nuplex Industries, the specialty chemicals maker, agreed to sell two of its Australasian units to a company backed by Champ Private Equity for A$127.5 million, using the funds to repay debt and possibly make a capital return. Axieo, an investment vehicle of Sydney-based Champ, will buy Nuplex Masterbatch, the plastic additives business, and Nuplex Specialities, the distribution business, Auckland-based Nuplex said in a statement. Sam Bastounas, formerly Nuplex’s …

Wall Street advanced, up more than 1 percent, amid better-than-expected data on existing US home sales, and solid corporate earnings including from Apple. In afternoon trading in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.13 percent, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index climbed 1.61 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 1.90 percent. Gains in shares of Chevron and …

New Zealand shares gained for a third day, paced by Contact Energy and TrustPower, as investors spooked by recent volatility sought high-yield stocks. Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp rose to a record. The NZX 50 Index advanced 35.237 points, or 0.7 percent, to 5223.123. Within the index, 28 stocks rose, 12 fell and 10 were unchanged. Turnover was $140 million. The benchmark …