Simon Hartley

Oceana Gold's recent strong share price is a huge turnaround from being one of the hardest-hit shares on the stock exchange last year.

A preliminary report on reopening the historic Blackwater gold mine, near Reefton, on the West Coast, would require a tunnel to advance exploration, which has been costed at $US78 million ($NZ97.7 million).

Annual inflation has fallen to 1% - the bottom of the Reserve Bank's 1%-3% target range - further dampening the likelihood of rises in the central bank's interest-driving official cash rate (OCR).

Soured property deals of more than $200 million ultimately brought South Canterbury Finance to its knees. Senior business reporter Simon Hartley looks at South Canterbury's demise, in the wake of findings this week from the country's largest alleged fraud case.

Global dairy trade auction prices have lifted slightly from their five-year low but the blowtorch remains on Fonterra's forecast milk solids payout, with downward payout revisions from analysts.

Port Otago has reported a dip in after-tax profit for its full trading year but the near debt-free company is to spread its net around Otago looking to buy complementary business assets.

Port Otago faces a compensation payment of $1.25 million to a former Chalmers Properties chief executive.

Police are investigating after attempts were allegedly made to hack a nationwide patient database.

Xero has another problem to contend with when 9.9 million shares bought mainly in the US for $147 million a year ago come off escrow and can be traded from tomorrow.

Otago and Queenstown featured strongly in the monthly Real Estate Institute of New Zealand data yesterday.

Cloud accounting company Xero needs to address sales momentum in the United States, having reported weak subscription growth in the key US market, brokers say.

Stock market jitters have been set off by uncertainties in some global economies and the pending end of the US Federal Reserve's quantitative easing programme.