Shares in Kathmandu rose 2.2 percent after the outdoor equipment retailer said it kept its pace of sales growth through the third quarter, without firming up annual earnings guidance. The Christchurch-based retail chain lifted sales 13 percent to $89.7 million in the 13 weeks ended April 28, retaining the momentum in revenue growth from the first half of the financial …

Dorchester Pacific, which avoided failure in 2010 by convincing investors to accept a debt-for-equity swap, has upped its profit guidance, flagged an intention to start paying dividends, and will re-jig its capital structure to help fund future acquisitions. The Auckland-based firm says profit was about $1.6 million in the year ended March 31, having previously said it would be between …

The New Zealand dollar held near a two-week high before the release of China’s manufacturing PMI which will provide fresh clues to the pace of economic growth for the nation’s biggest trading partner. The kiwi edged up to 85.71 US cents from 85.63 cents at 5pm in Wellington yesterday, having reached as high as 85.85 cents overnight. The trade-weighted index …