An Auckland foreign exchange trader is facing 15 charges of theft, dishonesty and false statements ina case involving the alleged misappropriation of $837,046 for personal use and mis-statement of clients’ financial positions by some $4 million. The circumstances of the charges, lodged by the Serious Fraud Office in the Auckland District Court, bear similarities to the Financial Markets Authority swoop …

Comvita, which uses produces health products from manuka honey and olive leaves, has bought an 85 hectare organic olive estate with potential to expand its production of olive leaf extracts by 130 percent over the next five years. The price paid for Organic Olives (Aust) by Comvita’s Australian subsidiary is undisclosed. The estate comprises some 7,000 certified organic olive trees, …

The New Zealand dollar is firmer ahead of Australian inflation data and after the Bank of Japan came out with an open-ended stimulus programme. The kiwi was at 84.04 US cents at 8am, up from 83.99 cents at 5pm yesterday. It fell to 74.51 yen, from 75.17 yen at 5.20pm on Tuesday after the Bank of Japan disclosed monetary policy …