Simon Hartley

The softening New Zealand dollar   during October was not enough to offset the decline in commodity prices, which fell for the fifth month in a row.

The Deloitte South Island index of listed companies' market capitalisation grew 8.8%, or $2.1billion, to hit $26.9billion for the quarter to September.

The Reserve Bank has as expected left the interest-driving official cash rate (OCR) at 1.75%, but has softened its stance on the next move being a cut.

Queenstown-founded tourism company Skyline Enterprises was among the big winners of the 2018 New Zealand International Business Awards for exporters last night in Auckland.

Invercargill Brewery has changed its name in the wake of the company's financial struggles as the new ownership group embarks on a fresh start.

A ''tornado'' of soaring spot electricity prices has blasted Dunedin boutique power company Payless Energy out of business, leaving the family company in a precarious position.

Spark, the country's largest telco provider, has pleaded guilty to two Commerce Commission charges over operational and billing issues with customers.

A Central Otago pinot noir won top prize - from 1400 wines entered - in the revamped New Zealand Wine of the Year Awards.

Few changes are expected from the Reserve Bank's monetary policy statement this week, but ongoing troublesome business confidence surveys could yet undermine recent economic positives.

Unemployment and wage growth data due out this week is expected to exceed Reserve Bank forecasts — with employment growth modest and unemployment to edge up.

Oceana Gold remains optimistic the mine life at Waihi in the central North Island can be extended, following the latest round of further underground test drilling results.

Building consenting in the South has mirrored the national trend with an easing during the month of September, but consents for the entire year were up 5.4% across the country.

Months of negative sentiment from ANZ consumer and business confidence surveys continued this week.

Summer tahr hunting has for the first time been thrown open to recreational hunters at sites in the Hooker/Landsborough Wilderness Area, Adams Wilderness Area and nine sites in Westland Tai Poutini...

Z Energy has downgraded its full-year financial expectations as higher global oil prices and the weak New Zealand dollar undermine profits.

Home values appear to be easing for spring with the average value up 5.4% across the country, but most of Otago and Southland have delivered gains above 10%, on a year ago.

There does not appear to have been a surge of foreign house buyers trying to get into New Zealand's housing market, before new rules disqualified them.

Major sharemarkets have started the week delivering mixed results, as US-China trade relations soured further after reports of more US tariffs to be announced in December.

Overall farm sales this spring have eased more than 7% on a year ago and dairy farm prices per hectare fell more than 18% during the same period.

Strong third-quarter trading by Oceana Gold has prompted a production upgrade for the year, while strong cash flows have been used to pay off $US50million ($NZ77million) of debt.