The New Zealand government posted a small operating surplus in the seven months through January as tax revenue beat expectations, while costs were smaller than anticipated. The operating balance before gains and losses was a surplus of $77 million in the seven months ended Jan. 31, compared to a forecast deficit of $635 million and better than the shortfall of $1.06 …

International trading partners first learnt of threats to contaminate New Zealand-manufactured infant milk formula with 1080 poison in February, more than two months after the first letter containing the threat and a sample of contaminated product were received at Federated Farmers’ head office in Wellington, in late November. Prime Minister John Key told a hastily called press conference at the Beehive this …

New Zealand’s listed companies beat earnings estimates on average in the latest results season, but still fell short of the bullish growth expectations built into stock prices, analysts say. Per-share earnings at the 42 companies followed by analysts at Forsyth Barr rose a median 3.5 percent, beating a forecast gain of 3.3 percent. Sales on that basis grew 7.4 percent versus a forecast 6.6 percent, while …