Pyne Gould Corp, the South Island asset management firm controlled by George Kerr, has sold the bulk of its Perpetual businesses to Australian research and management group van Eyk Research. The Christchurch-based group has sold Perpetual Asset Management and Perpetual Portfolio Management, though hasn’t included Perpetual Trust as previously indicated. The sale was flagged in January, and would see Pyne …

New Zealand shares were mixed in the post-earnings, ex-dividend hiatus. Mainfreight extended its decline after saying earnings would miss estimates and Auckland International Airport rose after reporting monthly passenger growth. The NZX 50 Index edged up 0.38 points, or 0.01 percent, to 4342.88. Within the index, 23 stocks fell, 16 rose and 11 were unchanged. Turnover was $114 million. Mainfreight, …

The New Zealand dollar is heading for a 1.2 percent weekly gain on a trade-weighted basis after figures showed the economy grew at almost twice the Reserve Bank’s expected pace in the fourth quarter and amid talk Fonterra Cooperative Group may hike its payout next week. The kiwi rose to 76.46 on the trade-weighted index at 5pm in Wellington from …