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International trading partners first learnt of threats to contaminate New Zealand-manufactured infant milk formula with 1080 poison in February, more than two months after the first letter containing the threat and a sample of contaminated product were received at Federated Farmers’ head office in Wellington, in late November. Prime Minister John Key told a hastily called press conference at the Beehive this …

New Zealand’s listed companies beat earnings estimates on average in the latest results season, but still fell short of the bullish growth expectations built into stock prices, analysts say. Per-share earnings at the 42 companies followed by analysts at Forsyth Barr rose a median 3.5 percent, beating a forecast gain of 3.3 percent. Sales on that basis grew 7.4 percent versus a forecast 6.6 percent, while …

New Zealanders increased spending on debit and credit cards in February, led by gains in hospitality and apparel as low inflation makes households more relaxed about their consumption. The value of core retail spending, which strips out spending on fuel and vehicle related items, rose 1.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted $3.94 billion last month, accelerating from January’s revised 1 percent gain, …

Law firm Adina Thorn Lawyers is asking leaky building owners to join a proposed class suit against plaster cladding manufacturers, which it says could seek damages exceeding $100 million. The law firm wants to pursue a product liability claim against the manufacturers of plaster and polystyrene cladding, including global building products maker James Hardie Industries, and is in talks with several international litigation funders …

The New Zealand dollar fell to its lowest in more than three weeks as the greenback soared after better-than-expected US jobs data boosted speculation the US Federal Reserve may raise interest rates as early as June. The kiwi fell to 73.40 US cents and was trading at 73.47 cents at 8am in Wellington, from 73.60 cents at the New York …

Apple’s new watch, a report on US retail sales, and the European Central Bank’s new quantitative easing programme will take centre stage this week. On Friday, a much better-than-expected US payrolls report fuelled expectations the US Federal Reserve will raise interest rates as early as June. Employers added 295,000 jobs in February, while the unemployment rate dropped to 5.5 percent, …

Fliway Group, the independent transport and logistics provider, is seeking to raise between $27.3million and $44.5 million through the first initial public offering on the NZX this year. The prospectus to be registered this afternoon is expected to value the company at around $70 million to $75 million. The 18-year-old company is owned by Duncan Hawkesby, the son of former …

New Zealand’s wholesale trade grew for a third quarter in the final three months of 2014, with increased activity for apparel, pharmaceuticals and furniture leading the expansion. Seasonally adjusted sales rose 0.3 percent in the three months ended Dec. 31, slowing from the 0.6 percent pace in September, and rounding out a third quarter of growth, according to Statistics New …

Fulton Hogan, the privately held construction firm, says first-half pre-tax earnings dropped 10 percent as Australia’s economic woes kept a lid on spending in the resources and state sectors, while the strong kiwi dollar eroded profit earned across the Tasman. Pre-tax net profit fell to $83.4 million in the six months ended Dec. 31 from $92.8 million a year earlier, the …

Warehouse Group lowered its forecasts for annual profit and dividends after New Zealand’s largest listed retailer posted weaker first-half earnings as its Red Sheds and Noel Leeming units missed expectations. Full-year adjusted net profit, which excludes one-time items and is the basis for dividend payments, will be between $52 million and $56 million, down from $60.7 million a year earlier, …