The New Zealand dollar climbed above 85 US cents and reached the highest level against the Australian dollar since October 2009 as improving risk sentiment and the nation’s economic prospects drive demand for the kiwi. The kiwi dollar recently traded at 84.90 US cents, having climbed as high as 85.62 cents overnight, from 85.23 cents in Asia yesterday. The trade-weighted …

Better-than-expected US jobs data helped propel Wall Street as did corporate earnings that exceeded expectations such as from United Parcel Service. “Companies have gotten very good at controlling expectations. This has been a pattern of crunching down of estimates prior to earnings being released, and when earnings come out, they beat the number,” Stephen Massocca, managing director at Wedbush Equity …

Trade Minister Tim Groser will be focused on Plan B: Getting TPP in place after his disappointment in being dropped from the race for the director-general’s role at the World Trade Organisation. Impeccable sources confirmed to www.newzealandinc.com that Groser has been told he will not go through to the final selection round for the WTO top job. The WTO selection …