Business Desk

The New Zealand dollar gained after Fonterra slashed its milk payout forecast as expected while offering interest-free loans and a slightly improved dividend to its farmers to soften the blow. The kiwi rose to 65.52 US cents as at 5pm in Wellington, from 65.43 cents before the Fonterra statement and from 65.42 cents late yesterday. The trade-weighted index advanced to 70 from 69.83. Fonterra cut …

By Jonathan Underhill July 31 (BusinessDesk) – Blis Technologies, the NZX-listed biotech company, said sales will rise as much as 75 percent, helped by demand in Europe, North America and in New Zealand. Sales in the year ending March 31, 2016, are expected to “comfortably exceed $4.5 million,” chief executive Barry Richardson told shareholders at their annual meeting. Blis would likely report  “a …

Reserve Bank governor Graeme Wheeler says some market commentators are predicting further declines in interest rates that would only make sense for an economy in recession, although some easing is likely to be needed to maintain New Zealand’s economic growth. Wheeler gave a balanced view of the economy in a speech to an ExportNZ/Tauranga Chamber of Commerce meeting. While repeating …

The New Zealand dollar rose ahead of a speech by Reserve Bank governor Graeme Wheeler, on speculation he may soften his language about an easing bias, and after stocks rebounded and commodities gained. The kiwi dollar rose to 66.77 US cents as at 8am in Wellington, having earlier gained to as high as 67.08 cents, from 66.61 cents late yesterday. The trade-weighted index rose to …

Maori businesses are more optimistic and recording stronger profit growth than non-Maori firms as the focus of the sector shifts from righting historical grievances to looking to the future, ANZ Bank’s 2015 Maori business report says. The ANZ Privately-Owned Business Barometer found 72 percent of Maori businesses surveyed were upbeat about the next three years, up from a reading of 70 percent …

By Jonathan Underhill July 28 (BusinessDesk) – NZX, the stock market operator, said advertising in its portfolio of agricultural publications dropped 17 percent in the first half, reflecting the slump in dairy prices and the impact of drought. The company’s agricultural titles include New Zealand Farmers Weekly, the nation’s biggest newspaper for farmers, Country-Wide and New Zealand Dairy Exporter. Agricultural information accounted for …

The government doesn’t want to spend any more money or stay any longer in the build of New Zealand’s ultra-fast broadband network for fear it might “stuff it”, says Finance Minister Bill English. The government wants to extend the UFB programme to 80 percent of the nation’s population from its original 75 percent target and has also expressed a desire to …

By Suze Metherell July 23 (BusinessDesk) – Light regulation in the New Zealand dairy industry has insulated the wider economy from the sharp decline in prices for the country’s largest export commodity, according to minister of finance Bill English. Prices for whole milk powder, the country’s key commodity export, have plunged this year and dropped an unexpectedly large 10.7 percent …

The New Zealand dollar fell along with other commodity currencies ahead of an expected Reserve Bank interest rate cut this morning. The kiwi dropped to 65.82 US cents at 8am in Wellington, from 66.16 cents at 5pm yesterday. The trade-weighted index declined to 69.99 from 70.20 yesterday. Commodity currencies, including the New Zealand, Australian and Canadian dollars, declined as oil …

New Zealand accounting software pioneer Xero expects to double global revenue to more than $200 million in the year to March 2016, based on current exchange rates, having taken eight years since listing on the NZX in June 2007 to reach its first $100 million. However, it is no rush to fulfil its intention to list on the US stock exchange before the release of …