Fletcher Building denies Carter Holt report

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Fletcher Building Ltd (FBU.NZ: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), New Zealand's biggest building supplies and construction firm, denied on Wednesday that it has joined Australian rival Boral Ltd (BLD.AX: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) to bid for Carter Holt Harvey (CHH) assets being sold by billionaire Graeme Hart.

New Zealand's Dominion Post paper had reported that Fletcher and Boral, Australia's biggest building materials maker, would bid for a range of CHH wood products manufacturing, distribution and retail businesses in both countries.

"I am not aware of such an arrangement," Fletcher Building chief financial officer Bill Roest said.

He declined to comment on any interest Fletcher Building may have in the assets. Boral also declined to comment on the report.

A price tag of up to NZ$2.5 billion ($1.9 billion) has been put on the assets.

The newspaper reported unnamed market sources as saying international private equity fund CVC Capital Partners CVC.UL was also interested in the assets.

Hart, New Zealand's richest man, acquired Carter Holt Harvey in 2006 through the privately-held Rank Group, since when he has sold the bulk of the company's forests to finance acquisition of packaging assets.

Earlier this week Hart moved to sell his 19.9 percent stake in Australasian food group Goodman Fielder (GFF.AX: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) for at least $526 million.

Shares in Fletcher Building, New Zealand's second largest listed company, last traded up 0.9 percent at NZ$12.29 in a broadly firmer market. Boral was down 0.1 percent at A$7.10.

($1=NZ$1.32)