Wall Street gained after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said there was no “preset course” for the central bank’s bond-buying program, while better-than-expected results from companies including Bank of America also underpinned the mood. “I emphasise that, because our asset purchases depend on economic and financial developments, they are by no means on a preset course,” Bernanke said today in …

New Zealand shares rose, led Pumpkin Patch as the retailer clawed back a small portion of this year’s 34 percent slide, while Diligent Board Member Services rose after telling the NZX yesterday that it knew of no reason for its recent slide. The NZX 50 Index rose 2.425 points, or 0.1 percent, to 4578.97. Within the index, 26 stocks rose, …

Property for Industry shares have gained to the highest in almost six years and the volume of trading is at an eight-year high as investors prepare for the specialist industrial property company’s elevation in the NZX 50 Index after its merger with Direct Property Fund. The merger almost doubled the enlarged group’s shares on issue to 412 million and increased …