New Zealand food prices recorded their biggest drop since October 2011 last month, led by declines in prices of apples, tomatoes, kumara, mandarins and chocolate bars. Prices fell 1.3 percent in March from February and declined 0.4 percent from March 2012, according to Statistics New Zealand. The monthly decline was the biggest in 17 months. Food prices make up about …

The receivers of failed construction firm Mainzeal are weighing up their options to get the best price for Mainzeal House on Auckland’s Victoria St. PwC’s Colin McCloy and David Bridgman “are currently considering the best way to realise the property,” which is valued at some $12.3 million, according to their first report on 200 Vic Ltd, a Mainzeal entity. The …

The New Zealand dollar continued its rally, topping 86 US cents and charting a new record on a trade-weighted basis as the nation’s economic fundamentals and demand for high yields in a low-rate world drove demand. The kiwi rose to 86.32 US cents from 85.92 cents at 5pm in Wellington yesterday. The trade-weighted index rose to 79.36 from 79.11. Stocks …