The SME Stream

New data shows there's a subset of Kiwis who are being hit harder than most by rising interest rates. At least 3600 first home buyers owe more than what their home is worth, but Cotality suspects the number could be higher. Cotality Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson says true number in negative equity is likely to be higher because many bought with a deposit smaller than 20 percent. "If you...

Herald Now senior correspondent Katie Bradford says a new report reveals not getting scope and design done early enough is driving up costs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Long-term Government borrowing costs have hit significantly high levels all over the world, and experts are discussing the long-term implications of this. The US, Japan, Germany and many other countries have reached the highest levels of Government debt in nearly two decades, inspiring economists to coin the term 'debt doom loop'. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See om...

Forsyth Barr’s Zoe Wallis breaks down what the OCR decision means for interest rates, markets and the NZ economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Banks aren't expected to increase fixed rates after the latest OCR hike.  The Reserve Bank raised the Official Cash Rate another 25 basis points yesterday, bringing it to 2.75%.  Governor Anna Breman says they are moving it towards a neutral level of around 3%.  Co-operative Bank CEO Mark Wilkshire told Ryan Bridge the hike was largely expected, so those rates were already built in....

Question for you: is National's tax strategy working? What I'm talking about is the blatant strategy they have of swamping social media and traditional media with warnings about Labour, the Greens, and the Opportunity Party's taxes in a bid to freak you out so badly it drives you back to National. The reason I'm asking is that I'm not entirely convinced this is working. It just seems desperate and...

Methanex now... might Huntly's gas-fired generator be next? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In episode 70 of Leaders Getting Coffee our guest is Alex Martelli, a young innovator who is changing the way people buy real estate.   She’s a born and bred Aucklander who spent her entire schooling and university years in the city.  But somewhere in there a desire for travel was instilled, and she spent 11 years traveling the world and working with some of the biggest r...

Australasian venture-capital heavyweight Blackbird has closed a record $1.25 billion sixth fund – and its New Zealand general partner Phoebe Harrop Meadows says Kiwi companies are central to its investment strategy. The fund, described by Blackbird as the largest venture-capital raise in ANZ history, underscores the firm’s rise from a small Australian startup investor into one of the r...

Opposition Leader Chris Hipkins is waiting for the Government to release its pre-election fiscal update before explaining how Labour would fund a freeze to fuel taxes over the next three years. Speaking to Canterbury Mornings, Hipkins said Labour would need to wait until the government's books were opened to determine how it would fund the election promise, but he backed the party's plan to ease p...

The Reserve Bank Governor's defending the latest hike to the Official Cash Rate.  The central bank's raised the cash rate another 25-basis-points to 2.75%.  Anna Breman says they'll need to assess the impact of the past two OCR hikes before deciding whether to hike again.  But she told Mike Hosking yesterday's hike was needed to rein in high inflation.  She says if the OCR had...

The Reserve Bank has raised the Official Cash Rate 25 basis points, from 2.5 percent to 2.75. The Monetary Policy Committee agreed unanimously to the rise, broadly expected by economists and the market. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this could have an immediate impact on retailers, as people will now have less money to spend in stores.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudi...

The Finance Minister says major gas user Methanex shutting up shop doesn't change the Government's argument for a Liquified Natural Gas terminal.  The methanol producer is closing its Taranaki plant after more than 30 years.  It cites the continued decline in domestic natural gas and no clear pathway to meaningful new supply.  Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking they'd already predicted...

An industry group for chartered accountants is putting a novel idea on the table to lower the cost of New Zealand Superannuation to the Crown, while keeping it universal. Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand is advocating for the next Government to allow people to delay the age at which they start receiving Super. According to NZIER modelling, this approach could reduce the annual cost of S...

More Official Cash Rate hikes are possible, but far from guaranteed. The Reserve Bank has raised the cash rate 25-basis-points this afternoon to 2.75 percent. Governor Anna Breman says they are moving it towards a neutral level, to around 3 percent. But she says nothing is set in stone. "Today's decision will allow us to assess the impact of these two OCR increases - and then we will see whether w...

The Reserve Bank has raised the OCR by 25 basis points to 2.75 percent, in line with economists' expectations.  Markets expected the cash rate would go up, but many had priced in a bigger increase - and there's still an expectation that the OCR could go up further down the track. Milford Asset Management's Remy Wisenberg explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

New Zealand’s economic data is finally showing some signs of life – but for many businesses and households, it certainly doesn’t feel like a recovery. Nearly 3,000 hospitality businesses ceased trading in the past year, liquidations remain elevated, and unemployment is likely to take longer to turn around. At the same time, confidence is improving and economists are increasingly...

New Zealand’s debt burden has nearly doubled in 10 years.  But, there are signs the country’s borrowing habits are becoming more sustainable.  New Zealand businesses have boosted their borrowings by more than $6 billion in the last year to $143b, which is a potential sign of rising confidence in the economy.  So, is debt really as bad as we think – or are the...

Christina Leung on why the NZIER Shadow Board sees rates rising further, and the balancing act between inflation control and a weak economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

herald Senior Correspondent Katie Bradford asks if businesses will be compensated as Auckland’s costly level-crossing removals bring years of disruption. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What were the standouts from the quarter? Roger Garrett from Craigs Investment Partners. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Centrix data shows households are still cautious about extra debt as borrowing costs rise. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cyclenomics' Matt Carter on turning waste tyres into valuable materials while finding new ways to grow a small business in a tough economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank looks set to turn the screws on interest rates again today.  Most economists expect the OCR to rise from 2.5% when the decision is announced at 2pm.  One or two further hikes are forecast before Christmas.  BNZ Chief Economist Mike Jones told Mike Hosking he expects the Monetary Policy Committee to reach a consensus on the increase, but it’s possible not every...

The Government's being criticised for giving the country the run-around with next year's fuel tax.   It's cancelled the 12 cent per litre hike and equivalent lift to road user charges that were set to take effect in January.   The next rise of five cents a litre now kicks in from January 2028.   AA Fuel Spokesperson Terry Collins told Ryan Bridge the Land Transport Fund has been und...