The SME Stream

Garth Bray joins Ryan to talk business - thanks to Forsyth Barr See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mo Singh from Craigs Investment Partners bring us the latest on global markets and the impact to oil prices and supply. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank Governor says the central bank is closely monitoring fuel prices, but won't rush into reacting. Anna Breman says the Iran war is likely to lead to higher inflation and lower growth in the short term. Breman says that's unlikely to make them hike the Official Cash Rate - but things could change if higher fuel prices pressure the economy. Independent economist Cameron Bagrie says it...

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has revealed plans are in place to unveil a package to help households with the cost of fuel. She says more details will be revealed tomorrow, and she's worked with Inland Revenue and Treasury officials to develop this planned relief. Willis explained that this plan won't go against the Government's fiscal strategy ahead of the upcoming election. "We will be funding...

The Green Party is offering its support to National to fast-track a fossil fuel relief package, bypasssing other parties with their combined 63 votes. The proposal includes three months of free public transport, a windfall tax on fuel companies, and targeted payments for rural and low-income earners. The Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick told Kerre Woodham, "we have put a sensible and urgent f...

This fuel situation is starting to feel like herding cats.  You’ve got the government, on one hand, going on about seven weeks supply. Don’t panic, keep calm and carry on.  The government is also talking about this rescue package for low-to-middle income earners.   Then you’ve got the hoarders filling up drums and jerry cans with petrol and diesel. I met one on the...

Forsyth Barr's Zoe Wallis joins Ryan with what to watch in the markets this week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a tale of two cities, with Canterbury crowned the top regional economy and Wellington finishing last.   ASB's latest Regional Economic Scoreboard shows Canterbury outperformed in nearly every key measure, including employment, retail spending, housing activity, and population growth.  Otago and Waikato tied for second and Auckland climbed to fourth.  ASB Chief Economist Nick Tu...

The Finance Minister's set to announce details of cost relief measures for low-to-middle households today.  Nicola Willis announced the support package would be on its way - in response to the Iran war and fuel crisis.  Transporting NZ CEO Dom Kalasih shares his thoughts with Ryan Bridge on the Government lowering the quality specifications for imports to match Australia.  See omnys...

Synlait's boss says the company's facing its toughest period in 20 years, but hopes a turnaround is near.  The Canterbury milk processor's posted a half year loss of $80.6 million.  Revenue rose $32 million to $949 million, while debt soared 88$ to $472 million.  Chief Executive Richard Wyeth told Mike Hosking the next six months are critical.  He says they've got the sale of a...

Will the NZ navy join a Trump prosposed coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz? Global trade takes a hit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kathmandu owner KMD, Hallenstein Glassons and The Warehouse Group all report half-year results that will probably look like the better halves of their years See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tensions are high for everyone right now, and I know most people will either be nervously checking their KiwiSaver balance on the daily, or completely ignoring it until things calm down a bit.  The most repeated advice advisors will be giving right now is to simply ignore your balance for the time being - that by the time the first bomb dropped, it was too late to change anything. But is that...

Buying your first home is seen as a key milestone signifying success in your financial journey, while “just" renting is somehow seen as being behind. But Luke Kemeys of the Keep the Change Podcast and Next Advisory sees it differently. For him, it’s a deliberate choice – and he thinks we need to look at renting differently. Luke joins Nadine Higgins to explain why he thinks renti...

Yesterday, Stats NZ released New Zealand’s GDP performance for the last quarter of 2025, and the government tells us things are looking good with gross domestic product rising 0.2 percent.   But the Reserve Bank had forecast growth of 0.5% - so while the latest results show we’re heading in the right direct...

In this episode, I break down the exact 3‑step framework I’ve used to launch and scale seven different businesses - including the strategies that took me from a broke 21‑year‑old to multiple 7‑figure exits. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, unsure where to start, or worried that the market is too saturated, this episode will show you exactly what to do next. 👉🏼 https://www.makeithappe...

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Mike Hosking for their weekly catch up to chat about the fuel crisis, economic management, and the possibility of the public placing blame on the current Government for the current financial struggles.  Luxon said, "we will do everything we can to support New Zealanders, but I have to be really straight up and honest and say we cannot support everybody,...

Garth Bray joins the show with the latest business news See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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,  GDP is up again but lower than expected - and that’s before the conflict in the middle east began, fue...

Sir Rod Drury believes it's New Zealand's time to step up and make a big difference in the world.  The Xero founder has been crowned the 2026 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year.  The judges noted in the ceremony last night his driving innovation, empowerment of Kiwi tech leaders, and his venture philanthropy.  He's involved in multiple projects including pushing for expansion of ren...

Why do some places become tech powerhouses while others, just as smart and connected, stall out?  In the latest episode of The Business of Tech, global innovation expert Mehran Gul, a former policy expert at the World Economic Forum, and the United Nations, dispels the myths about where breakthrough technology happens – and gives his take on what New Zealand should do to improve its inn...

The Government is looking into ‘doing something simple’ to get cash into Kiwis' wallets as fuel prices increase, refined oil proving a challenge.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking they need to balance the cost of living with the books.  “We need to be conscious of debt and borrowing.  “We need to look at working people in the low to middle inc...

New Zealand's economy wasn't doing as well as we thought, even before war broke out in the Middle East.  Latest Stats NZ data shows GDP rose just 0.2% in the December quarter – well under the Reserve Bank forecast of 0.5%.  Inflation hit 3.1% in the quarter, above the central Bank's forecast of 2.7%.  The Herald's Liam Dann told John MacDonald if the Iran conflict continues, w...

New Zealand's economy is heading into the current Middle East crisis noticeably weaker than expected. GDP's risen just 0.2 percent in the December quarter - well below many forecasts. It's also risen just 0.2 percent across the whole of last year, after growth in the September quarter was revised down. ANZ Senior Economist Matt Gault tells Ryan how the Reserve Bank will react to this news.  S...

Former Reserve Bank economist Michael Reddell says it's getting harder to know how much the economy's growing or shrinking. Stats NZ estimates GDP rose 0.2 percent in the December quarter, below most forecasts. But Reddell says it's also revised the figures for previous quarters. He says the 0.2 for December could still potentially be revised up as high as 0.5 percent, or as low as minus 0.1. LIST...