Best of Business

A new test case for the standards of political neutrality expected in the public service. Craig Stobo has resigned as chair of the Financial Markets Authority, after an investigation found he'd voiced too many political views for someone in an apolitical public sector role. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

ASB is set to launch their own answer to Sharesies with their new app. ASB Share Central will include a mobile app and desktop platform, and it will allow Kiwis to make their own investments into shares.  CMC Markets managing director Chris Smith says it's 'exciting' ASB wants to take this step, and they're looking forward to working with the bank on this project. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio....

There's hopes the Iran war won't bring a big bump in unemployment. Stats NZ data shows the rate reached 5.3 percent in the March quarter, down from 5.4 percent in the three months to December. Infometrics expect it'll rise again throughout 2026. Principal Economist, Brad Olsen, says they're not expecting any mass firings. "It's more that those hiring intentions are likely to be more subdued - i.e....

The Icehouse is celebrating 25 years of powering Kiwi business growth.  They’re a non-profit dedicated to training and mentoring the small to medium enterprises that make up 97% of New Zealand’s economy.  And today is their Ignite Growth Summit, in which they bring together legendary founders who have gone from the garage to the global stage to inspire the next wave of business talent. &...

Australia's Reserve Bank has lifted the country's Official Cash Rate 25 basis points, to 4.35 percent.  The move was expected by economists and financial markets, fearing the Middle East oil crisis could worsen inflation before it gets better. HSBC Chief Economist Paul Bloxham explained the move further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite the mounting concerns about the economy and the ongoing Middle East conflict, New Zealand's rural sector is booming. Reports reveal farm worker pay growth has levelled off after a post-Covid period of rapid growth. The Country's Hamish McKay explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Westpac's CEO says they have noticed changing customer habits in the backdrop of a tougher economy. The bank's half-year profit is up four percent, with its net profit rising to $545 million dollars. It's down 19 percent on the previous six months. CEO Catherine McGrath says businesses are getting good at controlling what they can. "There's a little bit less money being spent on things like hospit...

Donald Trump has floated the idea of the US guiding neutral ships out through the Strait of Hormuz, and it's made an impact on the oil markets. The Brent oil price was little changed above $108 a barrel, after falling as much as 2.4 percent at the open - below last week's $118 high. Harbour Asset Management expert Shane Solly explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

I have good news and bad news for you this morning.  The good news, I was out shopping on the weekend, which means I didn't actually buy anything but drove halfway across town looking for a bed-head, couldn't find one that fit, and went home empty-handed.  But the good news is the shops I visited were full of people spending money. Hardware store, full. Furniture store, less full but sti...

No-one knows what the future of AI has in store for us, and one journalist has raised concerns about the impact of the technology. When investigative journalist Karen Hao started looking into Sam Altman’s OpenAI, she had hopes for the technology, but extensive research and unparalleled access to those closest to the AI arms race left her with a different view.  Her work in this space has made...

The world's leading tech giants - Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta - all recently reported their latest earnings. All of these companies surpassed investor expectations, but one clearly came out on top. Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former senior economist at the Reserve Bank is calling releasing details of who voted which way on the Official Cash Rate a 'baby step'. It's been agreed by the Minister of Finance and the Monetary Policy Committee that vote details will be released publicly if committee members are unable to come to consensus on the OCR. The charter comes into effect today.  Michael Reddell says it's fairl...

Hopes some relief for businesses will be on the cards in a public meeting to discuss the future of Mount Maunganui this evening. Mauao has been closed to the public ever since a landslide killed six holiday-makers almost 100 days ago. The Mt Maunganui Ratepayers, Residents and Retailers Association expects discussions tonight about allowing one route to the top of the mount. President Michael O'Ne...

Confidence for small business owners, with sales continuing to grow.   New Xero small business data shows business sales rose 3.9% in the March quarter – March alone rising 5.5%.    ABC Business Sales Managing Director Chris Small told Mike Hosking it's been a tough 12 months, with many weaker businesses weeded out, leaving high quality small businesses in the market.   He says...

The recent burst of bad weather and growing concerns about inflation have prompted Kiwis to worry about their insurance premiums going up. Insurance premiums have dropped back down and more buffers have been built since Cyclone Gabrielle, but concerns have been raised. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

Following the market downturn in March as a result of the Iran conflict , things appear to be more hopeful towards the end of April. The ceasefire caused a significant market rally and the S&P 500 saw a boost as a result. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AI seems to be having a positive impact on Kiwi businesses.  A new report from 2degrees and Deloitte suggests small and medium businesses using high levels of AI made around $400,000 more in 2025 than comparable non-users.  Larger businesses averaged around $59.1 million more, with 82% of firms using some form of AI.   2degrees Chief Business Officer Andrew Fairgray told Mike Hoskin...

While most of the world will hold interest rates and wait out the energy shock, Australia and New Zealand are set to lift their rates up. Both nations are looking to bring down inflation, and the ongoing fuel crisis is set to pose additional economic risks.  HSBC Chief Economist Paul Bloxham explained why this is the case. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand and India have signed a landmark FTA - which is set to slash tariffs on Kiwi exports to India. The agreement will now be examined by Parliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee before legislation is introduced to bring it into force.  The Country's Jamie Mackay explains how Kiwi farmers will benefit from this arrangement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for...

One expert has noticed there doesn't appear to be any significant surprises in New Zealand's new trade agreement with India. The agreement was signed in New Delhi overnight, and will reduce or eliminate tariffs on 95 percent of exports to the world's largest country. BusinessDesk senior journalist Dileepa Fonseka says there's no numerical limits on the international student numbers, but we can mak...

The popularity of American sports could keep growing here - as streaming giants compete for viewers. Disney Plus is pushing its ESPN sports offering across Australasia with a new lower-cost subscription plan. Media commentator Duncan Greive says younger audiences are increasingly turning to American sports on global platforms over watching traditional sports like rugby and cricket. "The had a moat...

Banks around the world are meeting this week to discuss interest rates.   Financial conditions are tightening, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East causing inflationary pressures.  They’re broadly expected to keep policy unchanged, opting to remain in wait-and-see mode as the length of the conflict is still unknown.  Business Correspondent Vicky Pryce told Ryan Bridge there’s a l...

Here's a small myth-busting exercise for you – things aren't as bad as you might think.  Business sales from small and medium businesses are up and by quite a lot. They're up 21% in fact.  Why would you buy a business at a time like this?  You know why. Because life goes on and people have dreams and those dreams don’t get buffeted about by fiscal uncertainty.  There were 27,00...

Todd McClay will sign the free trade deal with India in Delhi today following uncertainty as New Zealand First pulled support and Labour held out until the last minute. Earlier this month some of New Zealand’s top exporters and business associations signed an open letter calling on all political parties to back the agreement.  India New Zealand Business Council deputy chair Tony Martin told A...

Some experts have raised concerns that the Government's fuel response is not proactive enough. A month ago, the Government detailed our response phases and what would trigger a move between phases - but the country remains in level one with no restrictions.  Wise Response Society chair Nathan Surendran says margins are getting eroded and the economic outlook is worsening as a result. "We shou...