The SME Stream

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, household spending takes a hit, what’s behind our population growth, and why the tourism sector is feel...

Artificial intelligence is no longer confined to the data centres of Silicon Valley or the cloud regions dotted around the world.  It is heading into orbit, hitching a ride on satellites and space stations in a way that could transform defence, climate monitoring, disaster response – and the balance of power itself. Starcloud, Google's Project Suncatcher, SpaceX V3 Starlink satellites,...

If you have ever wondered whether it is too late to start something new, this episode is for you. I sat down with New Zealand radio icon Jay-Jay Feeney, who after 35 years on air walked away to co-found PodLab and launch her own podcast. Jay-Jay gets real about burnout, mental health, building a business with your ex-husband, dealing with haters, and why change is never something to be afraid of....

Grant Baker is one of the country’s best success stories.  The Kiwi serial entrepreneur has had his hand in a number of pies but is best known for two companies – 42 Below and Turners.   It’s a career that’s spanned decades, and that’s before you get to his philanthropic efforts and work in co-founding the Gut Cancer Foundation in 2008.  He’s unra...

We discuss a buoyant rural market with the General Manager, Livestock & Real Estate for PGG Wrightson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nvidia, the world's largest listed company and a critical bellwether on the health of the AI sector, posted record first-quarter earnings on Thursday of more than $136 billion. That's up 85 percent on a year ago, with forecasts for the next quarter of over $153 billion. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We ask the PM what’s in the Budget for farmers? With cuts to the Public Service, is Wellington doomed as a city? Is Winston barking mad or just barking up the wrong tree in wanting to buy the BNZ? And at Fieldays, will he be attending the Rural Industry Leaders Event (dinner and debate) to raise funds for the Rural Support Trust? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra’s CFO comments on last night’s final GDT Auction for the 25/26 season. The headline move (up 0.6%) was largely in line with expectations, with a few unders and overs. Butter came out better than thought, and SMP a little worse (WMP 1.2%, SMP 0.2%, Butter 2.5%, and Cheese -1.3%). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ongoing conflict in Iran has led to bond yields and interest rates going up all over the world, and it's prompted concerns among experts. This will impact Kiwis as well, as many KiwiSaver portfolios have taken a hit as a result. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins doesn't think the public much cares about which companies would be in the party's Future Fund.  It won't be revealing key details - including the cost to the Crown and which state assets would go into it - until after voters go to the polls. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny unpacked the reactions to this announcement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudi...

Retailers are feeling the pinch, with card spending plunging across the board.  Stats NZ data reveals retail electronic card purchases dropped 1.3% last month.  Kiwis are spending more overall compared to last year, but on cheaper food and are cutting back on buying items like clothing.  Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young told Ryan Bridge margins are being squeezed and cash flows is tight....

Oil prices surged, inflation risks are rising again, and all eyes are now on the Reserve Bank’s next OCR decision. Liam Dann and Tamsyn Parker break down why petrol prices haven’t hit worst-case forecasts, what it means for the wider economy, and whether interest rate hikes are coming sooner than expected. The Economy of Everything is brought to you by NZ Herald in partnership with CMC...

Fear of failure is not protecting you. It is paralyzing you. In this episode I share my fail forward framework and the four mindset shifts that completely changed how I think about failure, including how a gift box business that nearly destroyed me now does a million dollars in a single month. Ready to start building? Join my Business Masterclass today ⬇️ 👉🏼 https://www.makeithappen.org.nz/ 📲 S...

Independent economist comments on a 4.1% rise in global food prices over the past two months, what it means for NZ farmers, and why rising global bond yields are keeping the NZ dollar in the US 58–59c range. Plus, the May 27 OCR decision, fuel and fertiliser pressures, the BNZ buy-up, what’s in the Budget for farmers — and why, in the end, it could be worse: we could be in Austra...

Following the release of last week's Budget, there's growing claims that Australians are looking across the Tasman with 'genuine envy'. A recent article in The Australian claimed that with no capital gains tax, no stamp duty or land tax, and the opportunity to negatively gear, business owners and property investors have taken more interest in New Zealand as a result. Australian independent economi...

Kiwis appear to be cutting back on discretionary spending as fuel prices bite.  Data from Stats NZ shows retail electronic card purchases fell 1.3% last month, with Kiwis buying less or cheaper food and cutting back on their clothing budget.  Non-retail spending on the likes of travel and health is down 4%.  Infometrics Principal Economist Nick Brunsdon told Mike Hosking it makes se...

Another swathe of Government agency job cuts and public sector reform.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis says they want to return the public servant headcount to 1% of the population by mid-2029, culling about 8,700 jobs.  Government agency operating budgets will again be reduced – 2% now, increasing over following years.  Willis says they will also thin out the ministries, poin...

The services sector continues to contract.  The latest Services Index rose 2.7 points to 48.9 – with anything below 50 signalling contraction.  New orders was the only category in expansion, sitting at 51.2, while employment remained negative for the 29th consecutive month.   BusinessNZ Advocacy Director Catherine Beard told Mike Hosking the figures are the result of the fuel...

New Zealanders owe 9.5billion dollars in overdue tax, with small business owners and the self-employed most likely to get behind. Director of Future Focused Accountants, Catriona Knapp, joins Nadine to explain what can go wrong if you don't get on top of your tax obligations and why it's better to face the debt head-on than bury your head in the sand.  With the IRD cracking down on collecting...

Artificial intelligence is being sold to us as the future.   Faster, smarter, more efficient, maybe even world changing.  But as a handful of tech companies race to build ever more powerful AI, there are growing questions about secrecy, exploitation, and the extraordinary concentration of power behind the scenes.  Journalist Karen Hao has spent years reporting on Open...

The New Zealand First leader says they'll be telling the National Australia Bank we want our bank back - as he lays out plans for the Government to buy BNZ. The party will campaign on the purchase - after its sale in 1992 - and merging it with Kiwibank to create a National Bank of New Zealand.  Winston Peters told Mike Hosking that the bank may not be for sale, but they'll make sure it is. He...

The ads we see on social media promise us a great many things, but how many of them are as good as they seem?  Ed McKnight was recently served an ad on Facebook promising rental investment with great returns that set off a few alarms.  He joined Jack Tame to break down the ad and explain the concerning signs to look for if you spot an investment ad that seems too good to be true.  L...

BusinessDesk's Riley Kennedy discusses Synlait's Leadership Reset.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Craigs Investment Partner's Andrew Ede discusses how global interest rates continue to shape NZ's rates outlook. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synlait board seeks a seventh CEO in 5 years and an independent director. Will Air NZ need a cap raise? Cerebras soars almost 70% on Nasdaq listing. / See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.