$100m Greymouth stake for sale, FMA eyes van Eyk funds, why Jennifer Lawrence should have used Mega

The stake is to be sold following a Court of Appeal decision turning down an attempt by minority shareholder John Sturgess to overthrow a High Court ruling on the sale of his shares. Sources say an arbitrator has determined a value of close to $100m for the shares. Duncan Bridgeman assesses who the likely buyers might be in today’s NBR Print Edition.

The election is coming down to tax, as elections often do. Political editor Rob Hosking dissects the major parties’ policies ahead of next Saturday’s election.

The Financial Markets Authority is keeping tabs on the implosion of Australian financial services house van Eyk and the closure of 13 of its 14 Blueprint funds. “We are now past the looking phase and definitely making enquiries into all areas, especially in regard to New Zealand investors’ money,” an FMA spokesman tells Duncan Bridgeman.

Meanwhile, Shoeshine explores connections between Pyne Gould Corporation’s Torchlight Fund and a UK hedge fund at the center of the van Eyk melt down.

“Lies, damned lies and statistics,” is how columnist Jacqueline Rowarth introduces election-fever spin about the water quality of New Zealand rivers.

Jennifer Lawrence should have stored her material on Mega and the recent stories involving her wouldn’t have happened, the data storage and encryption company’s chief executive Graham Gaylard tells reporter Nick Grant.

The latest reporting season threw up largely upbeat annual results that were better than expected. However, the market reaction was not so affirmative, and analysts are predicting earnings disappointments in future. Business reporter Calida Smylie wraps up the earnings season.

Meanwhile, power companies are staring down the barrel of regulatory uncertainty should there be a change in government, and investors have been getting the jitters. Analysts give their take on what to expect.

Also, in Margin Call, Nevil Gibson picks over flaws in the Labour/Greens power plan proposal.

Top lawyers are warning restructuring firms to contract out of uncertainty following a recent Supreme Court decision. Court reporter Victoria Young investigates a dispute over winemaking contracts.

Property reporter Chris Hutching looks at the changes to subcontractors’ retention payments as construction builds up.

Technology editor Chris Keall covers Apple’s latest product releases and looks at the delays in mobile wallet technology.

Briefly:

• Michael Coote says risk of deflation is stalking Europe, which has led to historical comparisons with deflationary Japan
• Rodney Hide says Whaledump has changed politics and a new rule is don’t commit anything to electronic messaging
• Ad Media reporter Campbell Gibson gets reaction on whether blogs have a place at the Canon Media Awards following the Dirty Politics book

All this and more in today’s National Business Review. Out now.