The New Zealand dollar weakened as the greenback is supported by an improving outlook for the US economy. The kiwi slipped to 81.52 US cents at 8am from 81.62 cents at 5pm yesterday. The yield on US 10-year Treasuries is edging higher, to reach around 3 percent, near the two-year peak of 3.007 percent hit in September. US bond yields …

New Zealand stocks rose on Christmas Eve, pushing the NZX 50 Index to a three-week high, as the outlook for the construction industry helped lift Fletcher Building and Warehouse Group led some retailers higher in the peak spending season. The NZX 50 rose 45.30 points, or about 1 percent, to 4767.935 in the shortened pre-Christmas session. Within the index, 35 …

The general election in New Zealand next year is starting to weigh on the nation’s equity market and is also likely to weaken business confidence and the exchange rate, brokerage First NZ Capital said. The election, to be held between September and November 2014, is expected to be an extremely close result between a National-led government and a Labour/Green coalition, …