OPINION: In December 2020 I smugly barked on about excessive rental prices, the high cost of living, student loans, and never being able to enter the housing market – one brunch at a time. Then, without the help of the bank of mum and dad, I purchased a 52 square-metre apartment with my friend, who […]
A judge is again contemplating if two people charged by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) after an investigation into donations involving the NZ First Foundation should be publicly named. Today, the first defendant argued for continued suppression at an appeal hearing in the High Court at Auckland. It came more than a year after a […]
COMMENT: After 18 months or so of plain sailing, financial markets have run into some bad weather. This year will be a harder slog, and some of the newer investors out there will learn some harsh, but important, lessons. US shares are headed for their worst start to a year since 2009, with the higher […]
SINGAPORE (Reuters) -DBS Group has agreed to pay S$956 million ($706.6 million) to buy Citigroup’s consumer business in Taiwan, making the Singapore lender the largest foreign bank in Taiwan by assets as it bulks up regional acquisitions to power growth.FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: A view of the exterior of the Citibank corporate headquarters in New […]
The prospect of the Reserve Bank hiking interest rates in the face of another hit to the economy is lifting warnings that New Zealand could soon see falling house prices. New Zealand’s house prices are among the most expensive in the world relative to incomes, propelled by record gains from migration in the years leading […]
New Zealand’s largest listed retirement company is continuing to try to get $200 million-plus Australian village plans approved, despite moves by authorities and locals to protect the site as a green belt. In 2016, Ryman Healthcare bought the 8.9ha Moondah Estate in Mt Eliza, 45 minutes from Melbourne, indicating then the development would mean it […]
OPINION: In the second half of last year, economists en masse moved from only a relative moderation in monetary support needed to a now accelerated raising of interest rates required. In fact, only last week, one of our major banks increased their OCR (official cash rate) target to 3 per cent (previously 2.5 per cent), […]
The impact of Omicron will become apparent in empty supermarket aisles in the coming weeks. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stressed yesterday there was no need for panic buying and that stores were open in the red traffic light setting. Countdown said toilet paper and cat food were among the most sought-after items sold yesterday. Speaking […]
OPINION: Many personal financial disasters are completely avoidable. We think we’re 10ft tall and bulletproof. A little pre-planning can prevent awful disasters. Those disasters come in many forms. The “new relationship” is a classic one where a partner can siphon off a lifetime of savings. Financial adviser Steve Morris of Trilogy Financial Solutions was involved […]
OPINION: Businesses chasing the consumer’s dollar are liable to find 2022 hard going. Several influences on people’s ability and willingness to spend come to mind which are downright negative or at least uncertain. They are: inflation and the Reserve Bank’s response to it; the impact of the Omicron variant and any public health measures to […]