The stock exchange operator says it complied with continuous disclosure at all times, including at the time chief executive Mark Weldon sold 2 million shares last month.

The Securities Commission has launched an investigation into trading of Allied Farmers shares following a decision by the New Zealand Exchange to inform a select few that the finance company was to be included in the top 50 index.

The NZX subsequently reversed its decision to include Allied Farmers in the index but by then a large amount of trading had taken place without the market being fully informed.

Last Monday NZX Limited told its exclusive Data Customers that Allied Farmers would be included in the main index from today. 



Shares in NZX Limited have taken a hit on the company’s own exchange today after it slashed $19.9 million from the expected sale proceeds of its carbon trading business.

At 3pm NZX shares were down 13c at $2.05, a fall of 6%, on mild volume.

Late on Friday, after the market closed, NZX announced it would write down the carrying value of remaining sale proceeds of its TZ1 Registry, which it sold to UK firm Markit Group last year.