CTU official Bill Rosenberg has raised the spectre of Warner Brothers suing a future NZ Government if it tries to unwind “the Hobbit” law. At the TPP stakeholders day in Auckland this morning, Rosenberg said the CTU’s interest in the trade negotiations is not limited to labour rights. Rosenberg instanced the NZ Government’s decision to change labour laws to ensure …

Trade analysts and stakeholders in Auckland for the TPP talks have told newzealandinc.com not to expect any progress on “sensitive” issues – including agricultural access – during this the 15th round of negotiations. It’s all “too hard”; “too early” – which doesn’t really cut it if this deal is to be in sufficient shape for final-decision making by political players …

The US is in the box seat for the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) negotiations but despite the Americans’ clear negotiating clout – obvious on the outskirts of the TPP talks at SkyCity Convention Centre – things are not plain sailing. The powerful US Chamber of Commerce has made it clear that the TPP deal is important to America’s future …

GLOBAL MARKETS:  Another quiet session overnight with sentiment mixed and little in the way of key macro events to provide market direction. US fiscal cliff negotiations continue with President Obama rejecting the latest Republican counter-offer of US$800bn in reduced revenues. On the data front, the New York ISM surprised to the upside in November. US equities were a touch weaker ahead …

PGG Wrightson and its majority shareholder Agria have signed a memorandum of understanding with China’s Administrative Authority for Yangling Agricultural High-Tech Industries Demonstration Zone. In a statement to the New York Stock Exchange the  companies said they will develop a high-profile agriculture showcase under the name, The China Yangling – New Zealand Agriculture Showcase. The Companies expect to benefit from preferential …

Ministry for Primary Industries Director-General Wayne McNee has approved co-funding from the Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) for the new Foodplus programme which will look at how more value can be generated from beef carcases. The PGP Fund is committing $43.5 million over seven years for the programme, which is worth $87 million in total and is being run by ANZCO …

Senior  business leaders have signed an open letter to Prime Minister John Key in support of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations which get underway again in Auckland today.  See – TPP – Open Letter The TPP negotiations have been under attack within New Zealand over their lack of transparency, sovereignty concerns and impact on intellectual property platforms. But the business …

Anzco Foods chairman Sir Graeme Harrison says the NZ beef trade has been impeded by the Indonesian Government’s decision to introduce quotas. “My own company Anzco Foods is New Zealand’s second largest beef exporter,” Sir Graeme told the Indonesia Forum. “We, along with others in the meat industry, have benefitted from rapid growth in shipments to Indonesia during the decade to …

Fitch Ratings has affirmed New Zealand Local Government Funding Agency Limited’s (LGFA) Long-Term Local-Currency Rating at ‘AA+’ and Long-Term Foreign-Currency Rating at ‘AA’. Fitch has also affirmed its Short-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency Ratings at ‘F1+’. The Outlook on the Long-Term Ratings is Stable. At the same time, Fitch has affirmed the senior unsecured bonds at AA+. The affirmation reflects the …

“Third time lucky,” said Fonterra’s Henry van der Heyden triumphantly as he was awarded Chairperson of the Year at the 2012 Top 200 Awards last night in Auckland. Van der Heyden’s award could not have been more exquisitely timed as it came on the eve of the Fonterra Shareholders Fund debut on the NZX at noon today.  The Fonterra chairman said …