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A recurring theme in two meetings today was the need for New Zealand businesses in China to not try and compete on a capacity basis,  with the advantages gained by economies of scale – it’s just not possible. Instead, the need for highly differentiated products and services which target a niche within the market was seen as the only tangible …

By Pam Graham Marlborough’s mayor is hoping meetings early this year will shed light on why the government is seriously considering a $422 million ferry terminal at Clifford Bay which will knock the economy of Picton. Marlborough District Council Mayor Alistair Sowman says a meeting he has on Thursday with Andrew Robertson, the management consultant running the Clifford Bay project …

The New Zealand dollar was trading in a narrow range as traders waited for direction on Japanese monetary police and for US markets to gear up again after the Martin Luther King holiday. The kiwi was at 83.63 US cents at 8am on Tuesday, little changed from 83.60 cents at 5pm on Monday. The currency traded in a relatively narrow …

Equities in Europe advanced as Germany’s central bank said the nation’s economy is showing signs of recovery in the first quarter of the year. “The largely stable labour market and a better outlook for output suggest that the economic weakness won’t last all that long,” according to the Bundesbank in its monthly report released today. The bank forecasts the economy …

Prime Minister John Key welcomed Nick Smith back into the Cabinet in a reshuffle in which he has also sacked the Labour and Conservation Minister, Kate Wilkinson, and Energy and Housing Minister Phil Heatley. diy solar panels He also relieved Associate Education Minister Craig Foss of his responsibility for the Novopay system for paying teachers, putting that in the hands …

Just a short entry for the blog today. We left the hotel in Beijing at 5:30 this morning enroute to the airport. After a few far-too-close calls, Fran and I successfully boarded and were on our way to Shanghai. Pudong airport is quite a distance from central Shanghai – connecting the two however is the engineering marvel that is the …

New Zealand stocks regained their positive tone today, with gentle rises across the board in light trading, affected by Wellington Anniversary Day and subdued global markets owing to the Martin Luther King long weekend in the US. The NZX 50 Index rose 21 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4185.18. Within the index, 31 stocks rose, 11 stocks fell, and eight …

The government has recruited Navman founder Sir Peter Maire and Wynyard Group chief executive Craig Richardson to the board of its new high tech “one-stop-shop”, and put a woman in charge. New Zealand Trade and Enterprise director Robin Hapi and Professor Peter Hunter from Auckland University are also new appointments to the board of Callaghan Innovation ahead of its opening …

DNZ Property Fund has increased the occupancy rate in its portfolio of 47 buildings to 99.2 percent. The owner of one of New Zealand’s largest portfolios of investment property said 37 transactions during the three months ended December had greatly reduced its lease expiry risk going forward. The occupancy rate of 99.2 percent as at December 31, 2012 was up …

New Zealand dollar trading got off to a slow start on Monday due to the regional holiday in Wellington and Martin Luther King holiday weekend in the US. The kiwi was at 83.69 US cents at 8am, little changed from 83.54 cents at 5pm on Friday. It fell on Friday after weaker-than-expected December quarter consumers price index data implied interest …