Tower Ltd, a New Zealand insurer and fund manager with a primary listing on the New Zealand share market, has been queried about its share price by the Australian share market operator.
The company's shares also trade on the ASX and about 25 percent of its shareholders are Australian.
The company told the ASX it had no explanation for a rise in its share price between August 6 and 19.
"As you are aware, there has been a significant sale of shares in an unrelated company, Tower Australia, which may have led to some speculation in the marketplace. We are not aware of any other explanation for the price change you have noted," the company said. On August 8, Guinness Peat Group Plc announced it was selling its 29.7 percent stake in Tower Australia Group Ltd for $A376.3 ($NZ465) million, and at a premium to its current market value, to Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance Company. Tower Australia is a separate entity and GPG continues to be a shareholder in Tower Ltd.