Dene Mackenzie

Another rise in the official cash rate by the Reserve Bank tomorrow is almost a given but, more importantly, markets will be seeking signals from the central bank about its next move.

The incredible run of Ryman Healthcare's share price again helped boost the Deloitte South Island Index, the latest quarterly index review shows.

Representatives of oil and gas giant Anadarko are expected in Dunedin as early as Monday to confidentially brief various parties about the first assessment of its drilling programme off the Otago coast.

Golden Block Developments, a private investment company and half-owner of the Penrose Building, will pay its share of the redevelopment to accommodate the expanded Fisher and Paykel Appliances workforce.

Dunedin technology companies are angry the Dunedin City Council was prepared to spend $2.3 million to help an outside company create 65 extra jobs when the local companies are being neglected.

Housing has emerged as the largest issue to date in the election, which is still five months away. Housing Minister Nick Smith was in Christchurch this week with further announcements for the earthquake-damaged city. Business editor Dene Mackenzie reviews the announcements so far.

Severe scaling of Genesis Energy share allocations is likely to push the share price higher when the last of the Government's energy company sell-downs lists on the NZX at 1pm today.

Interest rates are sure to rise next week but falling dairy prices and the continually high New Zealand dollar may cause the Reserve Bank to rethink its strategy to curb inflation.

Abano Healthcare appears to be stuck in gridlock as the company's biggest shareholder and former director, Peter Hutson, remains at loggerheads with the board.

Finance Minister Bill English hit out yesterday at local body planners and councillors for contributing to the growing unaffordability of housing in the country's least affordable cities.

Preventing the deaths from bowel cancer of people in Otago and Southland was a priority for the Labour Party, leader David Cunliffe said in Dunedin yesterday.

The Government had a vendetta against Dunedin, Labour Party leader David Cunliffe said in an interview in the city yesterday.

It was difficult to say when the current period of sharemarket volatility would end or how much further markets would fall before finding stability, Craigs Investment Partners broker Chris Timms said yesterday.

Annual inflation is expected to have remained at 1.6% in the 12 months ended March but that will be only temporary, with economists picking inflation to creep up to 2% in the next couple of years.