PGG Wrightson shares in trading halt - announcement due

Shares in PGG Wrightson, the country's biggest rural services company, have been put on a trading halt pending an announcement later today.

The company said it will make an announcement today with a media and analyst briefing to be held at 12pm, in what's expected to be the completion of its $150 million capital injection. A reshuffle of Wrightson's board is also on the cards.

Wrightson has been searching for a cornerstone investor after it secured agreement from its banks in August to increase its facilities by about $150 million and extend the term of its debt.

It's still waiting on approval from the Overseas Investment Office in regard to the 13 per cent stake taken by Chinese-based seed and agricultural research company Agria for $36 million.

The shares sank 7.1 per cent to 65 cents on the NZX in trading yesterday.