The New Zealand dollar rose after an unexpected lift in inflation in the December quarter raised the chance of the Reserve Bank hiking interest rates as early as next week. The kiwi rose to 83.21 US cents at 5pm in Wellington from 82.61 cents at 8am and 82.43 cents yesterday. The trade-weighted index advanced to 79.09 from 78.37 yesterday. New …

MyRepublic, a Singapore-based internet service provider, plans to enter the New Zealand market in the middle of this year, targeting services provided over the government-sponsored ultrafast broadband fibre network. The company’s local unit, headed by former Regional Fibre Group chief Vaughan Baker, is pitching itself as a fibre-only ISP and plans to deliver products and services specifically designed for the …

Telecom Corp, the country’s biggest telecommunications company, paid $83 million to win the final lot of 700 megahertz spectrum, flagged for fourth-generation mobile phone use. The Auckland-based company secured the fourth 2×5 MHz lot, having spent $66 million on three lots of 2×15 MHz spectrum in the first auction, it said in a statement. Telecom and Vodafone were bidding for …