The ruling National Party has been very comfortably re-elected at the weekend’s election in New Zealand, delivering Prime Minister John Key a third three year term as the countries leader. Mr Key’s personal popularity with the electorate was a crucial feature during the election, and despite the various late attempts to throw the campaign off track National were actually able …

New Zealand consumer confidence fell in the third quarter amid signs rising interest rates and a slower pace of economic growth are dimming the outlook and kiwis’ spending plans. The Westpac McDermott Miller Consumer Confidence Index fell to 116.7 in the September quarter, from 121.2 three months earlier and from a nine-year high of 121.7 in the March survey. A …

Pumpkin Patch has continued to refresh its board, with chair Jane Freeman the latest to announce her departure, as the childrenswear chain tries to revive falling sales in a changing retail environment. Peter Schuyt, who has been an independent non-executive director since 2012, will take over from Freeman at the start of next month, while former Warehouse Group executive Luke Bunt will …