The New Zealand dollar is firm, reflecting indications of improving European economies and the expectation that central banks in New Zealand and the United States will keep policy easy this week. The kiwi was at 83.73 US cents at 8am, up from 83.61 US cents at 5pm on Tuesday. The international backdrop is looking better with the Dow Jones Industrial …

Better-than-expected profit outlooks from drug makers Pfizer and Eli Lilly bolstered Wall Street, while a rise in US home prices also underpinned optimism that the economic recovery is kicking into gear. Shares of Pfizer gained, last up 3.1 percent, after the company predicted 2013 profit that surpassed expectations. So did Eli Lilly, boosting its shares 3.8 percent. Of the 174 …

The New Zealand Government has issued an assurance to all Chinese consumers that  NZ dairy products are safe and apologised for  “confusion” surrounding the suspension of DCD use in fertilisers on NZ farms. The apology was conveyed by New Zealand ambassador Carl Worker at a press conference at the NZ embassy in Beijing late Monday (NZ time). Ambassador Worker also told the press …