The SME Stream

Unemployment has risen again.  Latest figures from Stats NZ show the unemployment rate has reached 4.8% in the September quarter.  That's up from 4.6% in the June quarter, and well up from 3.2% in the December 2021 quarter.  NZ Herald Business Editor Liam Dann told Kerre Woodham that there was no question they would see people lose their jobs, but the fact that it came in lower than many forecasts...

Unemployment rose less than expected in the September quarter – from 4.6% to 4.8%.  This comes slightly below the financial market expectation of 5%.   Infometrics CEO and Principal Economist Brad Olsen tells Heather du Plessis-Allan there are still a lot of challenges.   Olsen believes this does not affect any hope of a 75 basis point cut but does create a significant dampener.  LISTEN ABOVE  The...

Having a clear winner so early in the US Election process could give some certainty for investors.  Donald Trump is set to return to the White House, having claimed more than the 270 Electoral Votes needed.   Markets are reacting strongly to the win, the US dollar surging in value, and bitcoin hitting a record high.  But, Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen told Ryan Bridge, there could sti...

The Reserve Bank has warned the economic downturn is expected to get worse before it gets better, with unemployment being expected to worsen. The bank's biannual Financial Stability Report says unemployment will peak at 5.4 percent by 2025. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says there are better economic times on the horizon - but there'll be 6-9 months of pain first.    LISTEN ABOVE The...

New data out this morning is expected to show more of us are out of a job.  Stats NZ is releasing the latest unemployment rate at 10.45.  Most economists expect it will rise from 4.6% in the June quarter to 5% in the September quarter.  But NZIER Principal Economist Christina Leung told Mike Hosking she expects it will rise even higher.  She says they believe the unemployment rate will peak at jus...

Students looking for summer work are struggling to land roles, as there's enormous competition for entry-level roles. Retail NZ says businesses are seeing a 'much higher calibre' of potential applicants looking for jobs. Swivel Careers founder Kate Ross says even people with full qualifications are finding it tough to land the right roles. "There's just not enough work out there right now. The eco...

[VIDEO EPISODE ON YOUTUBE & SPOTIFY] Why this 100-year-old family business built a massive steel facility in a construction downturn. 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 entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content...

48 hours ahead of the US presidential election, financial markets are gearing up for a Trump victory. Polls indicate the election result will be close, and some experts are warning people not to adjust just yet. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly unpacks the potential financial implications ahead of election day. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not...

It is becoming a fairly common story that debt is getting so big, people are burying their head in the sand rather than dealing with it.  Money mentalist Lynda Moore tells Kerre Woodham debt is easier to ignore in the modern day, without red-letter hard reminders arriving in the mail. Without help and support, people can very easily get lost or trust the wrong people.  LISTEN ABOVE  The podcasts i...

China is said to be considering approving an additional $1.4 trillion in borrowing to boost the economy. Plus, Asia Business correspondent Peter Lewis shares how the US election is being discussed in China. 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...

Can AI build an app? Tech expert Paul Stenhouse puts it to the test. I had an idea. ‘All The Calls’ - an app that tracks presidential race calls across networks in real-time. It absolutely is possible, however it's not without its headaches and frustrations. But wow – it is absolutely impressive.    You need to be very, very good at describing things. I have never thought about my words so much. ...

A free trade deal with the Middle East countries belonging to the Gulf Cooperation Council has come at the right time for exporters.  The FTA's expected to provide a sizable boost to the annual $3 billion of two-way trade.  If treated as one country, all six countries —including Saudi Arabia and the UAE— would be New Zealand's seventh-largest export destination by value.  Former trade negotiator C...

New Zealand is getting a leg up in the competitive market of global exports.  A free trade agreement has been made between New Zealand and the Middle East countries belonging to the Gulf Cooperation Council.  It comprises Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain.  Trade Minister Todd McClay told Mike Hosking New Zealand will be able to trade more with these countries.  He says the tarif...

It's less than a week until voters in the US will cast their ballots and determine a new president - and experts are wondering about the economic impacts. No matter who wins, both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have policies that could have implications regarding the future of international business. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann explains what the candidates could do for New Zealand...

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, we unpack the latest job statistics, we look at what Business NZ wants from the government to support...

New Zealand's big bet on fibre has paid off in spades, according to a new report by Deloitte that found the $5.5 billion that government and private companies invested into the super fast internet infrastructure has delivered $31b in value due to productivity gains. Two economists from Deloitte Access Economics, Liza Van Der Merwe and Mayuresh Prasad, walk us through the findings from that report,...

The iconic Kiwi corner dairy is believed to be becoming a rarer sight.  The Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment notes there are more than 1,700 businesses currently registered as dairies or superettes, less than Retail NZ's 2018 count of around 4,000. Communications Manager Ann-Marie Johnson told Ryan Bridge a number of dairies have closed, but people's shopping habits have changed. ...

Singapore has its eye on New Zealand as the place to invest.  This is the message that has been relayed by Minister Shane Jones, who's just returned from a visit to the wealthy city state.  He says Singapore is keen to invest in infrastructure, including the government’s planned road building programme and water infrastructure.  Queen City Law managing director Marcus Beveridge told Mike Hosking S...

The latest employment numbers for September 2024 show the job market is still in a tough spot. Annual filled jobs were down 0.9 percent compared to this time last year. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says this is a tricky point for the economy - and things aren't expected to get better until mid-2025. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not fin...

Data shows that more people are buying investment properties as interest rates begin to drop - what's stopping others from doing the same? Tim Beveridge is joined by property investor Nichole Lewis to discuss more.  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...

This time last year Arepa found themselves in hot water after the government officials decided that made unsubstantial health claims of cognitive and physical boosting abilities, they are forced to amend these claims and now back launching a new brain drink – Uplift. Co-Founder of Arepa, Angus Brown told Heather Du Plessis – Allan that this time round he's proud to call the "brain drink” because o...

[VIDEO EPISODE ON YOUTUBE & SPOTIFY] Rocket Lab CEO Sir Peter Beck shares how Neutron is progressing ahead of its 2025 launch target, and discusses why some investors may be doubting his company’s ability to execute. 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...

The Electricity Authority said market options were available to big power users during the winter price spike that some blamed for their closure. The closures prompted the EA – the regulator – to investigate the options available to big power users, and it found hedges available tended to be lower than the overlapping average ASX price at the time. Last month, a number of Kiwi businesses, includin...

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, positivity from the retail sector, the gender pay gap is still looming - I’ll tell you which wo...

A bit of life is coming back into the property market, but investors think the best is yet to come.   The CoreLogic October Housing report has found almost a quarter of the properties bought were by people who own multiple properties.   The Property Investors Federation says there should be a pickup mid next year as mortgage rates continue to fall.   Advocacy Director Matt Ball told Ryan Bridge th...