The Commerce Commission inquiry into anti-competitive behaviour by Countdown supermarkets, alleged by former Labour Party MP Shane Jones, has found nothing to warrant prosecution, although it warns supermarkets to take care in the way they communicate\ with suppliers and that discussions with competitors “carry significant risks for all involved. The competition watchdog’s report, issued this morning, suggests much of the concern among …

Australia’s free trade agreement with China heralds a renewed focus to diversify the country’s economy away from a reliance on mineral exports to soft commodities and intensifies competition in a “hotly contested” market. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott labelled the deal between New Zealand’s two-largest trading partners, “at least as good as New Zealand’s” while unnamed government officials said it gives …

Serko, the online travel booking business, widened its first-half loss in line with its May prospectus as it hired more staff to chase sales growth. The Auckland-based company increased its loss to $3.6 million in the six months ended Sept. 30, from a loss of $347,146 a year earlier, it said in a statement. Sales rose 50 percent to $4.7 …