New Zealand consumer confidence eased in July as higher petrol prices and the prospect of rising mortgage rates dented financial sentiment. The ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer confidence index slipped to 119.8 from a three-year high of 123.9 in June. The current conditions index dropped 4 points to 118 and sentiment on future conditions eased 5 points to 121. All five questions …

The government’s $40 million a year tourism spending boost was a waste by comparison with adding those funds to the pot to encourage high value manufacturing and service industries, the Treasury advised before the May budget. The advice is contained in an aide memoire on April 5 to Treasury suggested to Finance Minister Bill English and Economic Development Minister Steven …

Tourism Holdings, the rental campervan operator which merged with two rivals last year, has told the receivers of Pacific Horizon it’s available to pick-up any customers left out in the cold, but won’t buy the failed firm’s assets. The Auckland-based company has already approached KordaMentha’s Brendon Gibson and Grant Graham, who were appointed receivers of Pacific Horizon yesterday, to help …