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The volume of building activity recorded its biggest gain in 10 years in the third quarter, led by construction work in Canterbury and the upper North Island. Building activity rose 9.6 percent in the third quarter and was valued at $2.9 billion in unadjusted terms, according to Statistics New Zealand. Residential building work made up 56 percent of the total. …

Fletcher Building, the country’s biggest listed company, isn’t abusing its position as the Earthquake Commission’s go-to guy for home repairs in Canterbury, and is providing “satisfactory value for money.” EQC chairman Michael Wintringham told Parliament’s finance and expenditure committee that Fletcher’s role managing the repair programme has met the government-backed natural disaster insurer’s criteria around cost, quality, timeliness and safety. …

The US is in the box seat for the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) negotiations but despite the Americans’ clear negotiating clout – obvious on the outskirts of the TPP talks at SkyCity Convention Centre – things are not plain sailing. The powerful US Chamber of Commerce has made it clear that the TPP deal is important to America’s future …

Fonterra Cooperative Group, the world’s biggest exporter of dairy products, is seeking consents to build a new milk powder plant at Pahiatua, more than doubling output from the site and mopping up surplus milk in the lower North Island. The third drier at Pahiatua would process 2.5 million litres of milk a day, making it a similar size to its …

“Surpringly well positioned for 2050”. That is how Daniel Franklin, editor of The Economist summed up New Zealand’s long-term economic position. Population growth was cited as a critical driver for growth, much the same as the Asian economy. That same Asian economy will be relied on to sustain continued growth also says Franklin. “New Zealand is surprisingly well positioned for the world …

With TPP front and centre on New Zealand’s agenda this next fortnight as Auckland plays host to the 15th round of negotiations, newzealandinc.com is running some special around the webs to gauge what’s being said about TPP around the globe. The New Zealand Herald  TPP anything but plain sailing  Fran O’Sullivan discusses the intricacies of negotiating the terms of TPP, quoting the …

Synlait Milk’s Chinese and New Zealand shareholders still want to list the company’s shares on the NZX, but there will be no float in the near future, says the Dunsandel milk processor’s chief executive, John Penno. “At some stage, it (a share float) is on the agenda in that both shareholders believe long term it’s the best place to have …

The New Zealand government”s operating deficit was wider than forecast in the first four months of the financial year as the Crown clipped a smaller tax take on consumer spending and wages. The operating balance before gains and losses (obegal) was a deficit of $2.87 billion in the four months ended Oct. 31, $169 million, or 6.3 percent, bigger than …

Hallenstein Glasson Holdings, the clothing chain, said sales in the first four months of the year are up 7 percent and profit is ahead of the same period last year. “While this is a good start, the success of the first half of our financial year hinges on our December trade,” chairman Warren Bell told shareholders at their annual meeting …