The SME Stream

The Government's recent ban on on payment card surcharges has been met with criticism from the retail and hospitality sectors. The Government's announced it will scrap extra in-store card fees by next May. The Commerce Commission has already reduced bank interchange visa and master card fees for businesses. Dairy and Business Owners Group chair Ankit Bansal says these proposed changes are 'unfair'...

The Consumer Price Index over the June quarter was lower than expected at 2.7%, and it could mean a rate cut by the Reserve Bank next month.  So is the New Zealand investment winter over?  Shane Solly is a director at Harbour Asset Management and he joins Tim Beveridge for Smart Money.  LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not...

Trusts are billed as a way to protect your assets and pass your wealth on to the next generation, and they’ve become a common thing for a family to set-up.    But the rules around them have changed significantly over the years – so are they still useful, or more hassle than they’re worth? Henry Stokes is a trust specialist and Perpetual Guardian’s General Council,...

More uncertainty this week for Kiwi businesses exporting into the US. Donald Trump has agreed to a new trade deal with the EU this morning, which includes a 15% tariff on EU imports to the US. Trump's also indicated he'll raise the baseline tariff all countries face, from 10-percent to 15-percent. Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking New Zealand hasn't been advised of an increase. He says they've a...

Times are tough, many businesses unable to survive the cost of living crisis and downturned economy.  Cultural institutions and smaller businesses alike are closing up shop, and Kevin Milne is dismayed by the loss of Kiwi enterprises.  One in particular, the colourful Matakana ceramics firm Morris & James, is particularly saddening for him.  LISTEN ABOVE  The podcasts in th...

The number of Kiwis making withdrawals from their KiwiSaver due to hardship is on the rise.  In the year to June, more than 50,000 were made, compared to 18,000 five years ago.  Early withdrawals can have compounding effects on someone’s financial future – so what other options are there?  Lisa Dudson joined Jack Tame to delve into the topic and offer up some other ideas...

The job market is slowly rebounding from last year's low point.   SEEK's latest Employment Report shows job ads dropped for a second month, down three percent month on month.  Applications per job ad fell two percent.  Country Manager Rob Clark told Mike Hosking this is just a small drop, and we're still at record unemployment levels.  He says the job market in the last 12 mont...

 [VIDEO EPISODE ON YOUTUBE & SPOTIFY]PrimerAI founder Sean Gourley was behind the Pentagon’s Project Maven. Now, he’s investing in the next wartime technology frontier - drones. 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 i...

Stock exchange operator NZX chief executive Mark Peterson has resigned from the role - and will step down at the end of April 2026. Peterson explained that the time was right for him to stand down and for the board to look for a new chief executive. He says he's overseen plenty of challenges and successes in the role over the last few years. "You've got to make these tough calls - but we've also,...

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. This week, Inflation has crept up again so what will that mean for interest rates? After a tough period, there’s optimism...

With Big Tech hyperscalers investing billions in local data centres and the Government taking a cloud-first stand, the migration of our data and applications to cloud platforms is in full swing. But as David Reiss, my guest on this week’s episode of The Business of Tech, told me that moving to the cloud isn’t necessarily the panacea if you are looking to lower the ongoing costs of runn...

This week, Rosa Powers and Margot Flanagan - better known as the Two Raw Sisters - join Liam Dann to share their best and worst money stories, from how their parent's were early motivators in their careers, to the health battles and personal struggles they had to overcome in order to mend their relationship, and how that has led to a successful brand that covers cookbooks, apps, and podcasts.&nbsp...

Concerns have been raised among economists as inflation data suggests things may not be as on track as they seem. Inflation has hit 2.7 percent, with big food increases led by massive hikes in food prices. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham explains what this could do for the Reserve Bank's outlook going foward. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information...

Inflation is coming dangerously close to the top end of the Reserve Bank’s target band.  It’s reached 2.7% year-on-year – the main drivers being council rates, increased rents, electricity prices, and food prices.  Independent economist Cameron Bagrie told Ryan Bridge that there’s not only cyclical damage to the economy from the Reserve Bank’s efforts to cur...

Retailers across the country are surprisingly optimistic in the face of ongoing economic challenges.  The latest Retail NZ report reveals nearly 70% of retailers are confident their business will survive the next year, up from 57% for the same period last year.  This comes despite 62% of retailers failing to meet sales targets for the same period.   Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young told...

It’s the sort of theoretical nonsense you would expect from a bunch of wonks like the Labour Party, but blow me down if National hasn't clambered on board as well.  Camilla Belich has a Member’s bill. Member's bills don’t normally get to where hers has, given if they did, the party would have already run with the idea.  But her Employee Remuneration Disclosure Amendment...

Inflation's cooling in many corners of the economy, but not headline inflation. Latest Stats NZ figures suggest core inflation and domestically-driven non-tradeable inflation are trending downwards. But annual inflation has risen to 2.7 percent, up from 2.5 three months ago. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says these figures will provide relief for the Reserve Bank, as they work on ge...

Stats NZ  recently reported annual inflation increased to 2.7 percent in the three months to the end of June, and it's sparked concerns among experts. Economists had all been expecting annual inflation would be recorded at 2.8 percent or 2.9 percent - close to the Reserve Bank's 3 percent target band. Harbour Asset Management spokesperson Shane Solly revealed what this could mean for the econ...

ACT's insistence that the Waikato University doctors school cost was out of whack and based on a poor quality business case seems to have been proven correct.  Why else would the cost to the taxpayer has shrunk by $200 million? He says it was going to cost us $280 million.  If he was right, and he's one guy at the cabinet table, how many other business cases don't stack up? There's an en...

We all want our kids to do better than we did, and a major part of that is teaching them how to set themselves up financially.  Founder and managing director at Koura Wealth, Rupert Carlyon, joins Tim Beveridge for Smart Money. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the p...

We all know that ‘til death do us part’ doesn’t always end up that way, even if we don't like thinking about it. But divorce can be financially devastating, and some simple errors can make that process even more costly and difficult than it needs to be.  Enable.me financial adviser Shelley Palman, who has been through divorce herself and coached countless clients through the...

Christopher Luxon is staying upbeat about New Zealand's trading relationship with the US. Donald Trump's threatening to raise tariffs against key trading partners if they don't reach trade deals before the end of the month. New Zealand goods currently face the base tariff rate of ten-percent. The Prime Minister told Mike Hosking discussions with US officials have been positive so far. He says New...

There’s no doubt the news that the number of people on a benefit in New Zealand is up to the 400,000 mark will have some people tut-tutting.    But before we start ripping into the so-called “benefit bludgers”, we need to be very careful.   Because at the same time that we’re finding out that benefit numbers are up —and the number of people on the dole...

A New Zealand investment firm is involved in infrastructure required to build OpenAI, Oracle & Softbank’s enormous AI Stargate compute project in Texas. 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 liab...

The Social Development Minister says more jobs are coming to address the number of people on the benefit rising.  Ministry of Social Development statistics show almost eight thousand more people were receiving a main benefit in June compared to March.   As well, close to 81 thousand beneficiaries have moved into work in the last financial year.  Louise Upston told Heather du Plessis...