The SME Stream

Wages in the retail sector have risen - with the average wage reaching $30.94 per hour, up 1 percent on last year. This comes amid difficult conditions impacting the sector, which faced shrinking margins and falling sales. It was also lower than the annual rate of inflation, which was 4.1 percent in the June quarter. Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young says many workers also make extra money off commissio...

The New Zealand Business Hall of Fame will induct its 2026 Laureates on Thursday, Partners life founder Naomi Ballantyne is one of them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Auckland Business Chamber believes it's about time the big four energy gentailers are split up. It's released a two step policy alongside the Northern Infrastructure Forum - calling on political parties to break up the big four gentailers, and increase renewable generation. CEO Simon Bridges says if we want affordable, abundant energy, then changes need to be made.  "What we've got at the...

Andrew Ede from Craigs Investment Partners explains why central banks remain cautious and what higher-for-longer rates mean for NZ investors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scepticism from retailers that Police will turn up to a theft - as shoplifting rises to its highest level in 15 years. Police laid the highest number of charges in 15 years, across 2024/25. This resulted in the highest number of convictions being dished out in the country’s courts. Retail NZ Advocacy Manager Denise Garland told Ryan Bridge Police are stretched - and says it's the lower level...

Signs of life in the economy as overall debt improves.   Centrix data for June shows consumers' credit performance is continuing to improve, with arrears plunging to the lowest level since 2021.   However, the results still show 84 thousand people with payments 90 or more days overdue.  Independent economist Cameron Bagrie told Ryan Bridge there seems to be a bit less stress on our...

Unemployment's expected to increase, but it might not be all bad news for the economy.  Many economists are expecting unemployment to increase from 5.3% to 5.5%.   ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner feels volatility due to things like the war in Iran is starting to fade.   She told Mike Hosking businesses seem to be getting used to uncertainty – they’re realising they ca...

Farms are doing well, farmers are spending and what they need is there when they need it.' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when workplaces stop avoiding difficult conversations and start leaning into them? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with HR consultant, facilitator, workplace investigator, and founder of HR Butter, Kate Bacchus. Drawing on decades of experience across operational industries, leadership development, workplace investigations, and conflict resolution, Kate shares pr...

New Zealand’s unemployment rate is already at an uncomfortable level, and may be heading higher again. Young people and jobseekers in Auckland, Wellington and the Bay of Plenty are facing an especially tough market, leaving many wondering why the recovery is taking. Tamsyn Parker and Liam Dann discuss the latest unemployment figures and whether AI is squeezing the juice out of entry-level ro...

The Finance Minister says fuel support will stay in place until the Government is confident prices won't spike again.  It's extending the in-work tax credit, higher mileage rates for health workers and eligible patients, and reimbursements for relievers.  That's despite average pump prices sitting below $3 for four weeks.  Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking the measures will return to...

Airwallex’s Lowry Gladwell says Kiwi finance leaders are moving faster on AI, using new tools to boost productivity and transform global business. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steelworx director Chris Barrett on Luxon's comments to business leaders, saying he won't be voting National after 30 years supporting them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PMG’s Rory Diver on a $700m commercial property fund iopening access to more Kiwis, with investments from $1,000 and strong demand for quality property See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Forsyth Barr Investment Strategist Zoe Wallis with your Monday Market outlook. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boss of the French family firm that paid $4 billion for Fonterra's brands gives rare interview with Aussie Financial Review. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the cost of living crisis is driving your day-to-day costs up, putting money in to a Kiwisaver might not seem appealing.  But is it still important to keep the flow of money in to Kiwisaver going? And what do you do when you want to get started investing in an index fund? Founder and Managing director of Koura wealth Rupert Carlyon joins Tim Beveridge for Smart Money to discuss.  LI...

Moving into a retirement village can offer community, convenience and freedom from maintaining a family home — but the financial arrangement is very different from buying property. Anthony Harper law firm partner Jenny Baldwin explains occupation right agreements, ongoing fees, capital gains, deferred management fees, exit delays and the potential cost of moving into aged care. Plus, what re...

Instagram's CEO just confirmed what most creators have been feeling for months: the algorithm doesn't care about your likes anymore. In this episode, I'm breaking down the real ranking factors Instagram is using right now, the six metrics that determine whether your content gets buried or pushed to 100K people, and the exact formula to fix your strategy before your reach tanks any further. If you'...

It’s a battle of the islands to become New Zealand’s economic engine room. All eight South Island Chambers of Commerce have launched a joint election manifesto highlighting their $100 billion contribution to the economy. They’re calling for more investment and productivity with the goal of lifting South Island GDP per capita to $130,000 by 2035. Representing around 7000 businesse...

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, Unemployment is up but is the picture as bad as it sounds? Insurance premiums are in the spotlight as the gov...

It's been a big week for the tech sector, with Meta and Microsoft moving to post their earnings. But it's sparked concerns about the future of AI, and whether or not another sector bubble is set to burst. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

South Island business leaders want to be recognised as the engine room of New Zealand's economy.  The eight chambers of commerce have launched a joint manifesto, representing around seven thousand businesses.  It calls for policies to lift productivity, with a goal of increasing South Island GDP per capita to at least $130 thousand by 2035.  Business Canterbury CEO Leeann Watson tol...

Australian fintech pioneer and serial entrepreneur Dom Pym knows a thing or two about starting companies and scaling them into market-leading players. This week’s episode of The Business of Tech dives into Pym’s extraordinary journey, from bootstrapping niche financial platforms to building one of Australia’s most popular digital banks – Up – and then reinventing hims...

What does it take to build a workplace where people genuinely belong and can do their best work? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Evan Bateup, Partner and Chief People & Inclusion Officer at KPMG New Zealand. Drawing on a non-traditional career journey that spans operations, change, sales, marketing, and people leadership, Evan shares practical insights into leadershi...