Paintings by Picasso, Dali and Matisse were part of a bequest to the Auckland Art Gallery.
The chance of recession in the next year in Australia is 25%, versus 60% in the UK, 50% in the US and 35% in New Zealand.
Halfway Bay Station, an 18,000-hectare property on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, was sold by NZ-born mining magnate Chris Ellison and Australian billionaire Tim Roberts.
Investors told to hold on to their hats as the S&P 500 posted a modest gain a day after a brutal stock market selloff.