Dene Mackenzie

Goodman Property Trust's annual profit and commentary found favour with brokers yesterday after the company lifted both its profit and its cash distribution.

The Tiwai Point aluminium smelter may get a new owner after reports from London speculating owner Rio Tinto is again putting its aluminium assets up for sale.

Retail banks have started cutting their mortgage lending rates in anticipation of the Reserve Bank slashing its official cash rate, perhaps as soon as next month.

New Zealand's services sector continued to remain in a tight band of expansion for April and the BNZ-BusinessNZ Performance in Services Index recorded its fifth consecutive month of expansion.

Government tax changes for residential property were good news for Otago homeowners with mortgages because they allowed the Reserve Bank to reduce its official cash rate and mortgages would fall.

Trustpower, which has assets in Otago and Southland, reported an improved profit for the year ended March 31, but not as high as expected due to some familiar issues such as a high value New Zealand dollar.

Global economic activity has stalled, numerous geopolitical risks are lingering and with many markets close to all time highs, investors appear to have become complacent.

Grant Robertson demonstrated yesterday he is a fast learner.

Motor Trade Finance's interim profit was characterised by steady sales and improved profit and funding efficiency.

The co-hosting of the Cricket World Cup this year helped a surge in retail sales for the three months ended March.

Labour leader Andrew Little has torn into the Government's economic record in a speech in which he puts Finance Minister Bill English on notice he will have to start answering some hard questions next week.

Dunedin city councillor Hilary Calvert is planning to appeal a High Court of New Zealand decision which awards costs against her and HGW Trustees following the latest twist in a complicated court case.

Spark wants the Commerce Commission to justify itself over wholesale internet charges and has not held back at giving its former stablemate, Chorus, a serve about its proposed charges.

Spark has launched its Gigatown plans, targeting Dunedin residents who have already expressed their interest in the company's plans and/or have already signed up to Spark's Gigatown plans.