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The New Zealand dollar rose above 85 US cents for the first time in two months as global equity markets rose, local business confidence improved and Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke gave no hint that quantitative easing could end. The kiwi advanced to 85.21 US cents, rising above 85 cents for the first time since Feb. 15, from 84.86 cents …

Wall Street advanced, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average sauntering to an intraday record as investors found value in Microsoft, Intel and Cisco. Shares of Microsoft, last up 3.7 percent, Intel, last up 3.4 percent, and Cisco, last up 2.3 percent propelled the Dow to a fresh intraday high of 14,716.46. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index followed suit, touching …

Methven, the tapware maker, says full-year profit fell about 21 percent on weaker trading in the Australian market. The shares fell to an 11-month low. Net profit in the 12 months ended March 31 was about a fifth lower than the previous year’s $6.5 million and profit before one-time items was about 12 percent lower, the Auckland-based company said in …

Telecom Corp, the country’s biggest telecommunications company, has dumped the architect of its mobile network Alcatel-Lucent in favour of Chinese heavyweight Huawei to build its 4G infrastructure. The Auckland-based company picked Huawei due to its experience building 73 long-term evolution (LTE) mobile technology networks across 42 countries and because the Chinese telecommunications manufacturer is “truly pushing the boundaries of LTE …

Michael Hill International, the jewellery chain that bears its founder’s name, said sales in the first nine months of the year rose 8.8 percent on revenue gains in its biggest markets of Australia and New Zealand. Sales climbed to $425 million in the nine months ended March 31, from $390.8 million a year earlier, the Brisbane-based retailer said in a …

Wall Street advanced as investors eyed the results of Alcoa due after the close of the market today to gauge whether the recent weakness in US economic numbers is going to be reflected in corporate profits. Expectations are modest to say the least. S&P 500 companies’ earnings probably rose 1.6 percent from a year ago, according to Thomson Reuters data, …

New Zealand shares fell, nudging the NZX 50 Index down from a record high. Air New Zealand was the biggest decliner while Pumpkin Patch led some retailers lower. Fletcher Building fell as the central bank signaled concern at the overheating housing market. The NZX 50 dropped 35.76 points, or 0.8 percent, to 4397.20. Within the index, 34 stocks fell, nine …

Environmental protests against oil, gas and gold mining have broken out from one end of the country to the other in the last two days. Shell New Zealand closed down a public meeting in Dunedin this morning about its plans to explore in the Great South Basin, offshore Otago and Southland, after a group said to number eight to 10 …

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand would raise interest rates if there were signs that an overheated housing market in Auckland and Christchurch was spilling over into broader inflation pressures and consumer spending, says Deputy Governor Grant Spencer. The nation needs to avoid another housing boom, which “could potentially be more costly than the last, particularly at a time when …

The New Zealand dollar hit a fresh post-float high on a trade-weighted basis as the Bank of Japan’s moves to print massive amounts of money keeps the kiwi well supported, and as Reserve Bank deputy governor Grant Spencer gave the local housing market a serve. The trade-weighted index climbed as high as 77.77, the highest since the currency was floated …