3+ hour, 9+ min ago  (127+ words) Today's cut in the Official Cash Rate (OCR) should help exporters and the economy, Finance Minister Bill English says. The Reserve Bank today cut the rate for the first time in more than four years, from 3. 5 percent to 3. 25 percent. Opposition…...

1+ day, 1+ hour ago  (265+ words) Rabobank takes a look at the health of the beef market each quarter and in its latest analysis, it's forecasting beef prices to remain firm through until the end of the year. That's thanks to ongoing tightening in global supply,…...

5+ day, 10+ hour ago  (441+ words) Opinion - We are becoming evermore dependent on the government to maintain our standard of living. Wages are barely keeping up with inflation so we need tax tweaks and government largesse to help us out. This was the clear message from…...

5+ day, 11+ hour ago  (209+ words) The government is considering putting a cap on interest rates and fees charged by credit agencies to try to crack down on loan sharks. It also wants to strengthen enforcement and penalties for irresponsible lending and bring in more prescriptive…...

6+ day, 17+ hour ago  (477+ words) Retirees would benefit from faster increases in NZ Super, as the cost of living bites, retirement income provider Lifetime says. Its survey of 700 retirees showed 77 percent were worried about the cost of living. Their top concerns were the cost of…...

1+ week, 1+ day ago  (338+ words) New Zealand's small business productivity has slipped and remains below the long-term average, according to newly released findings by Xero. Xero said in the March quarter, small business labour productivity averaged $74 per hour worked, down from $75. 30 per hour in the…...

1+ week, 1+ day ago  (651+ words) An apparent end to the conflict in the Middle East, and the fall in oil prices, may not be enough to stop official cash rate hikes. But, economists say, at least they'll be for good reasons. It had been expected…...

1+ week, 1+ day ago  (451+ words) Consumer confidence has fallen sharply in the past quarter, as higher fuel and energy costs squeeze household budgets. The Westpac-Mc Dermott Miller Consumer Confidence Index dropped by 14. 3 points to 80. 4 - its lowest level in three years. A reading below 100 indicates more…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago  (369+ words) Australian taxpayers are being told to take their opportunity get tax back at tax time by claiming items they've bought for their home office against their taxable income. So why can't New Zealanders do the same? In Australia, people can…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago  (369+ words) Australian taxpayers are being told to take their opportunity get tax back at tax time by claiming items they've bought for their home office against their taxable income. So why can't New Zealanders do the same? In Australia, people can…...