This OCR hike is just the start of the cycle, says Herald economics editor Brian Fallow.

The monthly decline in food prices was led by a 6.5pc drop in vegetable prices and a 5.1pc reduction in fruit, according to Statistics NZ.

The property market has cooled as rising mortgage rates have tempered demand in recent months, the Reserve Bank says.

One of the big drivers of economic potential is productivity, which historically has not been a strong point in New Zealand, writes Brian Fallow.

Oil company Anadarko won't confirm claims its exploration off the Otago coast has been unsuccessful.

Should employers keep unsuccessful job candidates' details private? Can they? A recent case highlighted by the Herald might have left doubt in some minds.

ANZ says its Truckometer indices suggest the economy is settling in for a sustained period of growth at least until the middle of the year.

Mortgage brokers are urging borrowers to fix the interest rates on their loans and say it's not too late despite an expected increase in the official cash rate tomorrow.

The days of written references for job seekers are mostly over with the majority of employers now preferring to talk to two or three nominated referees.

Jobs growth in February is expected to have bounced back after a weak result in January, but not enough to bring down the unemployment rate.

The majority of New Zealanders do not fully understand KiwiSaver especially when it comes to switching jobs, tax rates and the Government's annual contribution.

About 600 construction workers are on the 17ha site of New Zealand's biggest new prison and the country's largest public-private partnership, which is recruiting staff now.

A company wanting to mine ironsands from the seafloor says the plan will mean $150m extra spent in the area each year.

The law is not always an ass but it can produce an absurdity. The decision to allow a failed job seeker access to his competitors' CVs is one of them.

From a Chinese perspective it makes perfect sense. After more than 20 years of rapid export-led growth it is time to fine-tune the economy, writes Liam Dann.

Interest rate rises this week will dampen demand for housing and could signal the end of Auckland's housing boom, according to an economist.

China has overtaken the UK for the first time to become the largest source country for total permanent migrants to New Zealand.

Taking on the world and embracing it will make New Zealand stronger and sustain its sovereignty, writes David Hisco. Our Aussie mates will then have to try even harder to catch up with us.

The impact of the Reserve Bank's curbs on mortgage lending at high loan-to-value ratios (LVRs) on the housing market has been pretty modest so far.

A leading law firm is calling for changes to how leave is calculated and paid out but a union leader is warning workers could lose out.

If the issue of inequality and poverty is to loom large in this election year there are a couple of cherished beliefs on both sides of politics that need to surrender to evidence, writes Brian Fallow.

Just two of ASB bank's 10 member executive team are women despite a call by the bank's CEO for leaders to step up progress on gender diversity.

New Zealand's brighter economic outlook is likely to bring with it improved pay rates and increased job opportunities.

Hundreds of Otago workers face an uncertain future after Southern Cross Forest Products Ltd was placed in receivership yesterday.

The short answer is yes, KiwiSaver is taxed. But taxation isn't the only difference between saving through KiwiSaver and the cash-deposit options.

Diversity in New Zealand's boardrooms and at the executive level has lost its momentum says, ASB boss Barbara Chapman.

A 62-year-old job seeker who is accusing an energy firm of age discrimination has won a legal battle to view the CVs of the people who beat him to the job.

The economy is not suddenly perfect just because the economic cycle has turned for the better, writes Liam Dann. There is still serious work to be done,