Going on the Prime Minister’s Latin American swing sounds glamorous (and in some parts it is). But you have to be seriously interested in New Zealand’s push to deepen its engagement with countries like Mexico, Columbia, Chile and Brazil to sign up for a 12 day trip: 15 separate flights, seven different hotels, multiple conferences and meetings and the challenge …

The next three weeks will see the government mount a $1.1 million mass market television, newspaper and internet campaign to entice New Zealanders to invest in the 49 percent of state-owned electricity company, MightyRiverPower, being offered for sale. Pre-registrations of interest will open tomorrow and last three weeks until March 22, placing would-be small-scale investors in MRP into the queue …

The New Zealand dollar fell to a two-month low as weaker-than-expected Australian data sapped already strained investors’ appetite for higher yields, with Italy’s election keeping people uncertain about Europe’s future and the US Federal government preparing to impose dramatic budget cuts. The kiwi fell as low as 82.08 US cents, its lowest level this year, and traded at 82.10 cents …