Turners Auctions, the country’s biggest auction house, boosted annual profit 14 percent as it lifted car sales. The company said it is holding off making a special return while it looks at “growth opportunities.” Net profit rose to an expected $4.2 million, or 15.4 cents per share, in the 12 months ended Dec. 31, from $3.7 million, or 13.5 cents, …

New Zealand house prices eased from a record last month while the volume of sales had a seasonal dip compared to December, according to the Real Estate Institute. The national median house price fell 4.9 percent in January from December to $370,000 and was 4.2 percent higher than in January 2012. The median price in Auckland rose 8.1 percent from …

The government’s chief statistician, Geoff Bascand, will leave Statistics New Zealand in May to take up a senior role at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. Bascand will leave his chief executive’s role after six years in the job with timing that will allow him to see through the March 5 national census, which was delayed two years by the …