Solid Energy opposed the government’s pressure to load more debt on its balance sheet in 2009, but the biggest driver of the $389 million debt that has driven the company into crisis were decisions of its own to invest in the open-cast Stockton and underground Spring Creek mines. The financially distressed state coal miner’s former chairman and chief executive, John …

New Zealand shares rose after the Reserve Bank sparked a drop in the kiwi dollar, lifting prospects for companies with export sales such as Fisher & Paykel Healthcare. Xero rose to a record again, hitting $10 for the first time. The NZX 50 Index rose 39.95 points, or 0.9 percent, to 4381.09. Within the index, 26 stocks rose, 14 fell …

The New Zealand dollar sank to a four-month low against the greenback after the Reserve Bank threatened to cut interest rates if the currency appreciates unreasonably, and tumbled to a two-month low versus the Australian dollar after better than expected jobs figures across the Tasman. The kiwi fell to 81.74 US cents at 5pm in Wellington from 82.60 cents immediately …