The SME Stream

Labour's finance spokesperson has accused the Government of 'sitting on its hands' amid an economically turbulent week for the world. Barbara Edmonds has criticised Nicola Willis' response to Donald Trump's tariffs - and accused her of 'complacency' as Kiwis express concerns over their jobs and mortgages. She says the Government needs to look inward and come up with a solution that benefits New Ze...

The Government has introduced legislation that could see more than 150,000 mortgage holders miss out on hundreds of millions in compensation for mistakes made by ANZ and ASB. The Government wants to ensure lenders are not disproportionately punished if they fail to disclose all the right information about a product to their customers. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains...

The Reserve Bank is keeping a watching brief internationally as Donald Trump's new tariffs kick in. The central bank cut the Official Cash Rate another 25 basis points, to 3.5 percent. Banks speedily lowered their advertised rates in response. Milford Asset Management's Remy Morgan explained what the bank will be monitoring going forward. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream conta...

Make way for the first guest of 'Bored to Boss' Season 2! Grab your Suntory Boss Coffee - It's brewed hot, chilled fast and perfect for an on-the-go podcast listen. In Episode 2, Georgia chats to Kristy, the creative powerhouse behind Pink Pony Creative. Kristy shares her journey of how she transitioned from a passion project to a full-fledged business, offering valuable insights on staying releva...

Kiwis are being urged to stay calm and stay the course as stock markets tumble.  There’s global uncertainty off the back of Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, and investment funds like KiwiSaver have been taking a hit.  Mortgage brokers have been facing concerns from first-home buyers, wondering what to do about the slump in their balance as they look to purchase.   Person...

A former Finance Minister says New Zealand faces uncharted territory - as the world grapples with Donald Trump's tariffs.  New Zealand, Australian and Asian markets tumbled yesterday, but regained some ground today. Current Minister Nicola Willis is warning the tariffs and world events will impact the Government books.  Steven Joyce says given the daily uncertainty which will slow invest...

Economists are seemingly aligned on where they think today's Official Cash Rate figure will land.  The Reserve Bank's expected to cut the OCR by 25 basis points, down from 3.75 percent.  It's the first rate decision since Governor Adrian Orr's resignation.   Jarden Economist and Investment Strategist, John Carran told Andrew Dickens there's been a lot of uncertainty in markets from...

 [VIDEO EPISODE ON YOUTUBE & SPOTIFY]  Energy developers are investing hundreds of millions into industrial-scale solar. This episode takes you behind one of the biggest projects underway 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, o...

Donald Trump’s Liberation Day has felt more like a bloodbath for the world economy. The US President last week announced what he called reciprocal tariffs on almost every country on Earth – as well as some islands uninhabited by human life. New Zealand was not as impacted as most – with just a10 percent tariff on our goods imported into the US – but the European Union has h...

The Finance Minister has been getting updates about the financial fallout from the latest batch of Trump tariffs. New Zealand goods have been hit with a 10 percent tariff, as part of President Trump's trade plan.  Nicola Willis warns these changes will come with 'profound' economic implications for New Zealand. "We will finalise our economic forecasts, which feed into the Budget - in the next...

Christopher Luxon says he has no regrets about the Treaty Principles Bill. Parliament's Justice Committee has recommended the bill not proceed when it returns to the House, after public submissions were overwhelmingly opposed to it. The Prime Minister says it's time for the debate to end. He told Mike Hosking allowing the bill to proceed to committee stage, but refusing to support it any further,...

The NZX50 index had fallen about 3.7 percent at the close of market today - as Donald Trump's tariffs continue to reverberate globally. It hasn't had a fall of this magnitude since the pandemic. Sharesies Co-CEO Brooke Roberts says it's hard to say how long markets will keep rattling around. "Look, it's unprecedented times in terms of the shock that has happened to the markets at the moment based...

The stock market has seen the biggest daily fall since the Covid-19 period, as a result of Donald Trump's tariffs announced last week.  Beijing responded with its own retaliatory tariffs, which caused the S&P 500 to fall another 6%.  Craigs Investment Partners Director Mark Lister says it's a historic fall.  "It's pretty rare for things to fall as much as that in a two-day perio...

The NZX50 index had fallen around 3.7 percent at the close of market today as Donald Trump's tariffs continue to reverberate globally. It hasn't had a fall of this magnitude since the pandemic. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly unpacks the economic fallout. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. A...

While sweeping tariffs rock the global economy, it's hardly discussed how it will impact the everyday person.  So, where is the safest place to put your money?  LISTEN ABOVE 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 related enti...

Jason Daniel founded activewear brand LSKD in 2007 after selling t-shirts to help fund his motocross racing. Fast forward to 2025 and the brand has surpassed $100 million in sales, and recently opened stores in Auckland and Christchurch, with another in Mount Manganui set to open soon.  In the nearly 20 years since the brand began, Jason has learnt a lot about running a business. In the episo...

More than 3.3 million New Zealanders are in KiwiSaver, and they now have more than $110 billion invested  - but too many of us are not making the most of the scheme.  So this week, Nadine is joined by finance expert, columnist and author Mary Holm, who has just revised and updated her 8th book, Rich Enough, to get some guidance on how to ensure you are making the most from the schem...

 [VIDEO EPISODE ON YOUTUBE & SPOTIFY]   The trade war has begun with US President Donald Trump rolling out reciprocal tariffs – but the calculations are being questioned. How this move could impact the global economy & trade as we know it. The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opin...

On the Republican Party's 'Liberation Day', President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs internationally.  New Zealand was caught in the crossfire with a 10% tariff, but we got off easy compared to other countries. But how is it impacting our global relationships?  LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or prof...

Asia has been hit the hardest by Donald Trump's Liberation Day tariffs.  China was dealt reciprocal tariffs of 34% - on top of the 20% tariffs the US President had already issued.   Asia Business Correspondent Peter Lewis explains the impact it will have on trade.  LISTEN ABOVE.  The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial&...

Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff announcement is being described as a shockingly radical shift in policy.   The US President announced 10% tariffs on almost all goods entering the US, including from New Zealand.  Many countries face much higher tariffs, including China with a combined 54% levy.  Former US Department of Treasury Economist Brad Setser told Mike Hosking it’s...

The world is reacting to the tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump over the weekend.  The Dow is down 2,231 points and the biggest names in tech have been hit hard.  Apple is down 16% in two days.  Greg Smith of Devon Funds Management talks to Mike Hosking about the fallout.  LISTEN ABOVE.  The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information...

The United States is reacting to Donald Trump's tariffs, with people turning out in their thousands to protest across the country.  The markets have been in 'meltdown' since US President Cannounced global tariffs.  Trump has returned to the White House after three days away, and tomorrow he will meet with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. US Correspondent Richard Arnold ta...

Trump’s been right before.    There are occasions when he’s come out with something seemingly crazy —totally bananas— earning him all the ire and ridicule of the expert class and the media, only to maybe be proven right over time.  The one that springs to mind is the travel ban with China, shortly after Covid-19 took off. One minute he was being rinsed for it...

In this bonus episode of The SME Stream, brought to you by BNZ, host Wilhelmina Shrimpton sits down with Justin Flitter, founder of NewZealand. AI to discuss how businesses can embrace AI to boost efficiency, improve customer experience, and stay competitive. From chatbots to advanced tools, Flitter shares practical tips for integrating AI into daily operations while addressing staff training and...