Fonterra's New Zealand collection is 4% higher for the season to date but the dairy co-operative issued a warning about the effect dry conditions were having on the east coast of the South Island.
Construction activity is likely to soar this year after the number of building consents issued reached their highest level for seven years in November.
In an intriguing move, New Zealand Oil and Gas (NZOG) has acquired 20% of Australian-listed oil and gas explorer Cue Energy, buying its stake from Todd Energy.
New Zealand is in the midst of a period of modest deflation. But it is not born of weak domestic demand.
Forsyth Barr acted swiftly yesterday in downgrading The Warehouse Group's prospects for the current financial year after the unexpected profit downgrade announced earlier.
The Warehouse Group trading update released yesterday was described as a ''shocker'' after the company downgraded its profit forecast for the first half of the trading year ending on January 25.
Otago had a rush of new property listings in December, an increase of 22.1% compared with December last year, and the second-highest increase in the country behind Wellington.
Oil prices have tumbled to fresh five and a-half-year lows as Saudi Arabia ruled out cutting production and commentary indicated no early end to the supply glut.
Whole milk powder prices were yet to show the type of recovery required to support Fonterra's $4.70 per kilogram of milksolids farm-gate milk price, Forsyth Barr broker Andrew Rooney said yesterday.
Oil and gas exploration in New Zealand could slow as the price of oil continues to slide and some projects become uneconomic, Craigs Investment Partners Peter McIntyre said yesterday.
The prospects of further interest rate rises by the Reserve Bank become more distant by the day as oil prices plunge, along with prices of other resources.
Wage and salary earners will probably be surprised by data released yesterday which shows ''average'' Kiwi pay packets increased nearly $5000 last year.
The first GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) auction at 2am tomorrow will be a big first piece of what will become the economic puzzle for the year.
Slow web page downloads can be one of the most frustrating experiences when using the internet and New Zealand rural internet users continue to find a mismatch in their speeds when compared with urban users.
Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan says he has walked in the shoes of most people. He has been unemployed, worked in a shearing gang, started a business and worked in real estate. But it is passion for getting young people into jobs that makes Mr Cadogan the Otago Daily Times business leader of the year. Business editor Dene Mackenzie reports.
The Briscoe Group's ability to improvise is likely to stand it in good stead, irrespective of market conditions and competition, Morningstar senior consumer analyst Tim Montague-Jones says.
Lifting New Zealand children off the National Deprivation Index is one of the main goals next year for Prime Minister John Key.
The dairy industry has been the focus of New Zealand financial commentators and markets in recent months but Craigs Investment Partners broker Peter McIntyre believes there are plenty other issues for the economy to deal with in 2015. He talks to business editor DeneMackenzie.
The NZX sharemarket had been an outstanding performer in recent years but Craigs Investment Partners broker Chris Timms said returns would be harder to come by next year. The local sharemarket had risen 68.4% since the end of 2011, including dividends.
The New Zealand Stock Exchange had an active year for new listings, with many companies holding off in 2013 as the Government sell-down of electricity companies continued.
