Median national housing rents rose at an annual pace of 5.3 percent in November, slowing from a month earlier as rental prices continue to plateau, according to online auction site Trade Me. The national median rent was $400 a week across all property types in November, unchanged from October, and slowing from a peak annual increase of about 8 percent in September, …

The New Zealand dollar fell as the continued decline in crude oil prices stoked concern that global economic growth may be faltering, weighing on equity markets and sapping risk appetite. The kiwi fell to 77.61 US cents as at 8:30am in Wellington, from 77.70 cents in late New York trading on Friday and from 77.90 cents in Asia at the end of …

The Chinese government has its eye on an unknown number of New Zealand-resident Chinese citizens who are thought to have established themselves here with funds obtained through corrupt practices, the Prime Minister, John Key, says.  The issue came up in talks between Key and the Chinese president, Xi Xinping, during his three-day state visit to New Zealand last month and …