Shares in Fisher & Paykel Healthcare jumped to their highest in more than two years as the maker of breathing masks and respirators said it expects to beat analyst estimates for 2014 profit after surpassing its own guidance for 2013. F&P Healthcare shares surged 5.9 percent to $3.21, the highest since Feb. 1, 2011, when it touched $3.22. The stock …

James Hardie Industries, the Australian building materials firm, hasn’t made a provision for the New Zealand Ministry of Education’s $1.5 billion suit over 300 leaky buildings, saying it hasn’t worked out what loss, if any, it may face. The Australian company and its New Zealand subsidiaries are assessing the ministry’s claim with the intention of “vigorously” defending it, but haven’t …

Conservation Minister Nick Smith has approved access over conservation estate land for Bathurst Resources to develop an open cast coal mine on the Denniston Plateau, above Westport, to the dismay of environmental opponents. The timing for Smith’s move avoids Bathurst having to resubmit applications for access agreements under the revised Crown Minerals Act, which comes into force tomorrow and would …