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Wall Street resumed its climb to new records, underpinned by the confidence that central banks around the world are supporting growth. Financial stocks including Bank of America and Citigroup received a boost from billionaire hedge-fund manager David Tepper who called US banks “a good sector” in an interview with CNBC. Shares of Bank of America were up 2.3 percent, while …

Former Foodstuffs boss Tony Carter will take up the chair at Air New Zealand’s board when existing chairman John Palmer steps down after September’s annual meeting. The announcement comes amid growing anticipation of the government’s planned sell-down of its three-quarter stake in the airline. Carter joined the national carrier’s board two years ago when Palmer signalled this would be his …

Infratil, which is mulling the float of its Z Energy chain of petrol stations, reported a drop in full-year profit after writing down the value of its UK airports and recognising accounting charges. Net profit fell to $3.4 million in the year ended March 31, from $51.6 million a year earlier, the Wellington-based company said in a statement. Operating revenue …

The New Zealand dollar declined after better-than-expected US retail sales added to confidence the world’s largest economy is expanding, reducing demand so-called growth assets outside of the US including the kiwi. The kiwi dollar fell to 82.53 US cents from 83.05 cents yesterday. The trade-weighted index weakened to 77.19 from 77.67. A report late yesterday showed US retail sales posted …

PGG Wrightson, the rural services company which fell out of the NZX 50 Index this year, expects annual earnings to fall by as much as 27 percent as dry conditions on both sides of the Tasman and lower livestock values erode prices. The Christchurch-based company expects earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of between $40 million and $48 million …

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index touched a fresh record high, as US retail sales unexpectedly rose in April, before giving up gains. In afternoon trading in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.21 percent, while the S&P 500 slipped 0.07 percent. The Nasdaq Composite Index eked out a 0.07 percent gain. The S&P 500 touched a record …

Chinese food giant Bright Dairy & Food will give up its controlling stake when local dairy processor Synlait Milk is listing on the stock exchange, retaining its stake without participating in the share sale. Shanghai-based Bright Dairy is expected to keep its investment, diluting its 51 percent stake into the 40s. Other shareholders will have the opportunity to sell some …

Synlait Milk, the dairy company controlled by China’s Bright Dairy & Food, is considering an initial public offering in New Zealand three years after abandoning such a capital raising because of lack of investor demand. Bright Dairy emerged with a 51 percent stake in 2010, paying $82 million and said at the time it would consider a share market listing …

The New Zealand Superannuation Fund has excluded Barrick Gold, the world’s biggest gold miner, and an African subsidiary from its $22 billion investment fund, citing its human rights and environmental record. The Canada-based mining giant, which has a market capitalisation of C$21 billion, didn’t meet the human rights and environmental standards of the UN Global Compact, which the Super Fund …

The New Zealand dollar may decline this week as a resurgent US currency is buoyed by optimism growth is accelerating in the world’s largest economy. The kiwi dollar recently traded at 82.77 US cents, from 82.98 cents late Friday in New York, and earlier touched a seven-week low of 82.58 cents. The dollar may trade in a range of 81.50 …