New Zealand’s Reserve Bank, the independent body which sets the benchmark interest rate, has appointed Conor English, the younger brother of Finance Minister Bill English, as one of its part-time external monetary policy advisers. Conor English, chairman of Agribusiness New Zealand and the former chief executive of Federated Farmers, will take up the role starting from the bank’s June monetary …

GeoOp, the workforce management app, said annual sales doubled after a strong pick up in customers in the last month of its financial year. Subscription revenue rose to $1.27 million in the 12 months ended March 31, from $610,000 a year earlier, the Auckland-based company said in a statement. Licensed users rose to 17,839, from 9,509 the previous year. It …

Trustpower, the power company controlled by Infratil, had its shares placed in a trading halt on the New Zealand stock exchange pending an announcement by the company. Shares in the Tauranga-based utility company last traded at $8.08 and have gained 2.3 percent so far this year.

Hugh Hendry, one of Britain’s highest profile hedge fund managers, has told New Zealand institutional investors his 2013 conversion from a bearish to bullish outlook is starting to pay off. Speaking to an Auckland audience via Skype from the UK this week, Hendry said his Eclectica hedge fund, which he founded in 2005, was now up 14 to 15 percent this …

The New Zealand dollar declined against a stronger British pound after upbeat minutes from the Bank of England’s last meeting, stoking expectations the next move in UK interest rates will be higher. The kiwi dropped to 50.92 British pence at 8am in Wellington, from 51.39 pence at 5pm yesterday. The local currency slipped to 76.60 US cents from 76.81 cents yesterday. …

Former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley wants New Zealand firms to take advantage of her appointment to the board of the Boao Forum, which is made up of global political and commercial leaders, to seek business opportunities in Asia. Shipley was appointed to the board last month at the forum, which is focused on setting up the ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative to …

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has officially opened the Shanghai office of Primary Collaboration New Zealand (PCNZ) – a coalition of New Zealand food and beverage companies pooling their expertise in China. Joyce, who is currently visiting Shanghai to foster business ties between New Zealand and China, says the new premises will provide a boost to the export ambitions of …

New Zealand recorded a smaller-than-expected trade surplus in February, led by declining dairy exports, while the annual deficit widened to the largest in more than five years. Statistics New Zealand said the trade surplus was $50 million in February, lower than the $392 million expected in a Reuters poll of economists. January’s surplus was revised down to $33 million, from $56 million. The …

Fonterra Cooperative Group, the world’s biggest dairy exporter, affirmed its milk payout forecast and lowered guidance for dividends, while posting a 16 percent drop in first-half profit it says reflected “tough conditions in dairy.” The forecast payout for the current season was affirmed at $4.70 per kilogram of milk solids, down from a record $8.40/kgMS last season, while guidance for dividends was …

MightyRiverPower, whose first half earnings slumped as it wrote down the value of assets and exited its international geothermal interests, said its gas-fired Southdown power station will close at the end of the year in response to growth in renewable generation. The 140-megawatt Southdown station in Auckland had played a small role in MightyRiverPower’s portfolio the past two years, representing just …