The SME Stream

The rising cost of living is down to more than global uncertainty, according to one expert. Stats NZ data shows costs for the average household jumped 3.2 percent annually to June, a more than four-year-high. Petrol was the biggest contributor - skyrocketing more than 27 percent. Independent economist Cameron Bagrie says shocks like US tariffs and its war with Iran play a role, but core inflation...

Nicola Willis will like the inflation number that's come out. More importantly, she'll like the story that number is telling. Remember, her target audience is the squeezed middle. This is the battleground. This is the fight for the soft centre at the election: Labour versus National. These are the voters both parties are targeting. The Stats NZ figure for the year to the June quarter is 3.2 percen...

How do organisations build talent when the skills they need take years to develop? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Kim Milne, Chief People Officer at Elf Group, including AB Equipment and Speirs Finance Group, to explore apprenticeships, leadership, workforce development, and the future of skilled trades in New Zealand. Drawing on her experience across operations, people...

The Government says escalation in the Iran war may move out the trigger-point for stopping temporary fuel-support payments. The $50 weekly payments for lower-income working families was meant to last a year from April, or until 91-octane stays cheaper than three-dollars a litre for a month.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis expects we'll reach the four-week threshold this week - but the latest...

Fed Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh is expected to hold rates at the central banks' next meeting. Forsyth Barr's Zoe Wallis joins Herald NOW. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rabobank’s GM RaboResearch comments on Trump’s latest increased tariff rates imposed by the US on NZ and 60 other countries. However, there’s good news for beef and a cautionary message for sheep meat. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The big macro-economic news this week is US Federal Reserve rate Decision on Wednesday. Shane Solly Harbour Asset Management. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TikTok's proving to be a powerful tool for New Zealand businesses.  A new Infometrics report shows the social media platform helped boost the local economy by an estimated $1.2 billion last year.  It found more than 670 thousand New Zealanders are visiting restaurants and cafes or making other purchases after discovering them on TikTok.  Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen to...

Imax has about 1% of the world's screens but made up 20% of the box office at opening weekend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More and more kiwis are taking on debt to cover costs, and the increasing popularity of buy now pay later schemes has normalised casual debt.  Financial author Martin Hawes joins Tim Beveridge to discuss the attitude people should have around debt, and the different types of debt.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The expression property market reset has been recently popular in property news– but what is it? What does it look like? And what does it mean for homeowners and investors? Opes Mortgages Managing Director Peter Norris joined Tim Beveridge for The One Roof Radio Show to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when two best friends can't find products that reflect their culture for their own children? They build them. In this episode I sit down with Amy Barratt and Dayna Slade, co-founders of Bo & Ko, to explore how they turned a personal gap in the market into a thriving Māori and Pacific-owned brand. They share the realities of building a business while navigating new motherhood, the...

Are you raising a child who thinks money just appears? From pocket money and piggy banks to KiwiSaver, first jobs and the temptation to bail them out, the lessons start much earlier than many parents realise. So, should chores earn cash? When should children start investing? And when is it better to let them make a mistake? Hayden Mulholland from Becoming Wealth joins Nadine on The Prosperity Proj...

National says its paid parental leave policy was already in the works, despite recent comments from Stuart Nash accusing one of its MPs of being lazy. Nash resigned from NZ First after it was revealed he called Napier MP Katie Nimon the “laziest MP” for taking time off to have a baby. National has today announced, if elected, it'll extend leave entitlements to 30 weeks by 2029, with a...

The Prime Minister has responded to the US hitting New Zealand with 12.5% tariffs.  Despite the tariffs already facing scrutiny from US courts, Kiwi exporters are preparing to bare the brunt of the raised tariff.  Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking that, "it's purely a play to find another avenue to open up the 12.5% tariffs when the Supreme Court came back with a negative ruling" Donal...

Mercury CEO Stew Hamilton on the $53m Datagrid investment and why AL is reshaping electricity demand. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We catch up with the Supreme Winner of the NZI Rural Women Business Awards, held last night at Parliament. Kylie is the owner of Southern Reproductive, an independent reproductive services and training business that she began five years ago. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand businesses are selling like hot-cakes.  ABC Business Sales' latest report shows there were 503 completed sales over the last 12 months, up 19 percent on the year before.  The business broker says New Zealand is still in a seller's market with an average of 34 buyers per new business listing. Managing Director Chris Small says they're sending out huge numbers of confidentialit...

S&P's Anu Ganti on what's driving Wall Street, the next phase of AI trade and what investors should watch in the second half of 2026 / Video. Herald NOW Business See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A banking expert believes there's enough competition as it is, between the country's eight largest banks. The Financial Markets Authority's found all but one lifted floating mortgage rates 25 basis points after the OCR rose by the same amount this month. The average bank lifted its savings rates by only 17 basis points.  Massey University's Claire Matthews told Mike Hosking that there's alway...

Waitomo CEO, Simon Parham reveals whether fuel prices will reach $3 again. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States has announced it will impose new tariffs on 60 trading partners, including New Zealand.  After his previous tariffs were deemed illegal by the Supreme Court, Trump is using the excuse that the countries are not doing enough to stop the imports of goods associated with forced labour to justify the increase.  ExportNZ Executive Director Joshua Tan told Heather du Plessis-...

The Finance Minister says changes to paid parental leave weren't in the coalition agreement for the current government. The National Party is promising to extend paid parental leave to 30 weeks by 2029 if re-elected, with further increases possible if finances allow. It would also allow parents more flexibility to share, or take leave at the same time. Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking that the chan...

Support for National's paid parental leave policy, from at least one business leader. The party's promising to extend paid parental leave from the current 26 weeks,  to 30 weeks by 2029 if re-elected, with further increases possible if finances allow. Parents would also have more flexibility to share, or take leave at the same time. Business Canterbury CEO Leeann Watson told Andrew Dickens th...

As business owners, you know how hard it is keeping up with your business, let alone the news. Join Wilhelmina O'Keeffe each week as she gives you a rundown of the biggest stories that could impact your business, so you can make informed decisions with expert advice.   This week,  Inflation swells, are petrol prices to blame? Exporters brace for more tariff hikes in the US. Plus, just wh...