The SME Stream

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment recently said that the Government is considering regulatory changes to enable KiwiSaver providers to increase private asset investments What does this mean KiwiSaver funds and how could it impact New Zealanders?  Harbour Asset Management Director, Portfolio Manager & Research Analyst Shane Solly joins with more.  LISTEN ABOVE The po...

Expectations are low as Treasury allows a peek into its books later today.  Economist Cameron Bagrie says in the 2024 update, various scenarios were presented for this year.  He told Andrew Dickens it seems we're on track with the downside prediction.  Bagrie says it forecast net debt climbing to 45% of GDP and the operating balance remaining in deficit.  Treasury will unveil i...

While 2024 may not have brought the shocks of cyclones, Prime Ministerial resignations or election campaigns, there’s a lot to digest from the last year.   The Government delivered tax relief, gang crackdowns and a Fast Track bill, while dealing with controversy over Māori relations, smoking laws and apartment entitlements. Te Pāti Māori led the fight back against the Treaty Princi...

The Government wants people to be able to invest their KiwiSaver funds more in local businesses.  Most Kiwisaver funds are currently invested overseas markets.  Commerce Minister Andrew Bayly has announced plans to loosen the rules to allow for more investment in private assets, infrastructure projects, and environmental projects.  He told Heather du Plessis-Allan it will unlock cap...

The Finance Minister's set to update the country on the state of the books next week, and experts aren't feeling too optimistic. Nicola Willis will reveal whether or not the nation is still on track to reach surplus in 2027-2028.   NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann explains why he's not feeling too hopeful about this target. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Strea...

As business owners, you know how hard it is keeping up with your business, let alone the news. Join Wilhelmina Shrimpton each week as she gives you a rundown of the biggest stories that could impact on your business, so you can make informed decisions with expert advice. In this weekly wrap, interest rates, digital money and a push to give more support to female employees in the workplace, plus th...

We're joined by four stellar journalists who discuss what they saw over the last year and look ahead to what may be yet to come.  BusinessDesk’s senior markets reporter Rebecca Stevenson offers a deep dive into Rakon's failed takeover and unpacks Gentrack’s success – and the questions that success raises.  Rob O’Neill, senior reporter at IT industry news outlet Re...

Christopher Luxon believes his so-called ‘coalition of chaos’ has defied the critics. The Prime Minister is spending the remainder of 2024 lauding his government’s achievements – inflation is under 3%, a 30% increase of cops on the beat, 26 new cancer treatments, tax relief just to name a few. But he’s ending the year facing criticism over his handling of the Treaty P...

Microsoft says its new New Zealand facility will create thousands of jobs and pump money into the economy.  The tech giant's today opening its first "hyperscale" data centre in Auckland's Westgate to power cloud-based software and AI tools.  It will ensure local organisations' data can be stored, processed and backed up locally, addressing sovereignty issues for the Government and banks....

The latest card spending data from November indicates Kiwis are keeping their expenses down for another month. Kiwibank reports claim the value of spending dropped 2.5 percent in November and new ANZ data shows a drop of 1.2 percent year on year. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says there's hope for the economy - as we're seeing early green shoots ahead of the Christmas season. LISTEN A...

2024 is nearly over - so which companies did the best on the New Zealand stock exchange for the year? Tower Insurance leads the pack, off the back of a series of upgraded earnings and regained inclusion back in the NZX50 Index. Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton unpacked the winners and the losers for the year. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general inform...

The Building and Construction Minister's confident changes to insulation rules will give builders and designers more flexibility.  Chris Penk's proposed changes to reduce building costs, including examining the whole building instead of individual components.  Penk told Andrew Dickens he believes there's currently too many regulations.  He says when you add up the extra costs, it do...

Most New Zealanders are still keen on using physical cash, a new Reserve Bank consultation has found.  Their online survey drew in over 18,000 respondents, with many worried digital money would replace banknotes and coins. The central bank's Director of Money and Cash, Ian Woolford, says people are worried about privacy and control when it comes to money. "It's a personal choice - money is qu...

Australia's central bank has opted to keep rates on hold in its final meeting of 2024 - the same position it's held all year. The RBA did soften its language a bit, and revealed the board had 'some confidence' that inflation was heading back to target. HSBC Chief Economist Paul Bloxham predicted rates would come down by 2025. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information...

There's no Christmas gift for Australian mortgage holders - as the central bank has left rates unchanged again. The Reserve Bank of Australia has kept the OCR in place at 4.35 percent, in line with expectations from economists. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says this will come as a blow to Prime Minister Albanese - as the cost of living crisis is set to be a hot-button issue for voters ahea...

The Finance Minister is determined to ensure New Zealanders get access to more competitive banking services. A Commerce Commission report on banking has found the sector isn't competitive enough - and the Government is looking to make some changes. Nicola Willis says she doesn't want to threaten the banks, but she's hoping for better results for Kiwis. "That means fairer prices, that means more in...

[VIDEO EPISODE ON YOUTUBE & SPOTIFY]. This deep tech hub in Auckland is where entrepreneurs Sir Peter Beck and Sean Simpson started Nasdaq-listed companies. Now new ventures are underway with their guidance. The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its rela...

The Government is looking to shake up how builders can meet insulation standards for new homes in a bid to reduce building costs. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has proposed several new changes - with a consultation period set to take place until February. New Zealand Certified Builders Association CEO Malcolm Fleming says this shows the Government is taking industry opinions into a...

Employers are in favour of ACT's plan to allow them to withhold pay for workers on partial strikes.  Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden wants to reverse a previous Government move which prevented pay being docked if workers continued to do some work during a strike.  Currently pay can only be withheld during a full strike.  Employers and Manufacturers Association Head of Advocacy Alan...

A higher than forecasted jobs report has been undergone in the U.S. The year’s economy created 227,000 non-farm jobs in November, which is above estimates of 214,000. Retailers continue to come to the party with earnings reports. Shares in Lululemon soared 16% on stronger than expected sales. The eurozone economy expanded by 0.4% in the third quarter, doubling the previous quarter’s growth rate. T...

I’ve been reading a report the OECD released this morning, and it’s occurred to me that, if we want our businesses to survive, there is a very simple thing we could or should be doing to help.   When I say we, I’m meaning the government upfront. But, for this to happen, I think we’d all pretty much have to agree to it as well.   That’s because it would mean giving businesses a better deal on somet...

Open banking firm ‘Revolut’ has applied to become a registered bank in New Zealand. Revolut already offers a “one stop-shop" money management app here with payment, card and money management services. It says with a banking license it could further offer things like credit cards, consumer loans and mortgages.   Massey University Banking Expert Claire Matthews joins the show. LISTEN ABOVE. The podc...

It looks like kiwis with mortgages are hedging their bets for interest rates to keep falling. In the month of October alone 90% of mortgage holders were on very short term rates. David Cunningham of Squirrel Mortgages & Investments joins the show to discuss.  LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions express...

2024 is coming to a close and with it the Coalition Government’s first year in power.  Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Mike Hosking for the last time this year to reflect on his first year as Prime Minister.  In response to the reports that say New Zealand faces an investment gap with a growing population, Luxon says that it's a marvellous set of challenges. "The last 30 years, what we've...

[VIDEO EPISODE ON YOUTUBE & SPOTIFY]. More than 400 million customers have visited Scentre Group’s Westfield shopping malls in Australia and New Zealand this year. Its chairwoman explains its winning formula. The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its rel...