New Zealanders increased spending on debit and credit cards in February, led by gains in hospitality and apparel as low inflation makes households more relaxed about their consumption. The value of core retail spending, which strips out spending on fuel and vehicle related items, rose 1.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted $3.94 billion last month, accelerating from January’s revised 1 percent gain, …

Law firm Adina Thorn Lawyers is asking leaky building owners to join a proposed class suit against plaster cladding manufacturers, which it says could seek damages exceeding $100 million. The law firm wants to pursue a product liability claim against the manufacturers of plaster and polystyrene cladding, including global building products maker James Hardie Industries, and is in talks with several international litigation funders …

The New Zealand dollar fell to its lowest in more than three weeks as the greenback soared after better-than-expected US jobs data boosted speculation the US Federal Reserve may raise interest rates as early as June. The kiwi fell to 73.40 US cents and was trading at 73.47 cents at 8am in Wellington, from 73.60 cents at the New York …