Discussion of the economy normally disappears in the summer holiday languor, for good reason.

The Australian economy could strengthen in the new year helped by a weaker currency and the policies of central bankers in Washington.

Solid Energy's random drug and alcohol tests nabbed 28 offenders in the year to July, more than a third less than the previous year.

The economy is heading into 2014 with a lot of momentum.

The sharemarket has seen a raft of new companies launch on to the exchange in the past 14 months but not all have proved to be winners.

Let's use present momentum to develop sectors that have the potential to transform New Zealand's economy.

After nearly six grinding years of stop-start recession and timid growth the economy seems set to finally take off.

Economic activity grew 1.4 per cent in the Sept quarter to be 3.5 per cent larger than a year earlier.

NZ spent $4.8b more than it earned in its dealings with the rest of world during the September quarter.

The Australian budget bottom line is looking bleak, and a weaker economy isn't going to help the situation.

The Government expects to resume contributions to the New Zealand Superannuation Fund in 2019/20, a year earlier than projected in last May's Budget.

The Government books are on track to deliver the promised surplus in 2014 - 15 but at $86 million, still a very small one, despite improvements in the economy.

Auckland house and apartment building is at a 5-year high, with nearly 5700 dwelling consents issued in the year to October.

Planning on checking your emails from the beach or bach this summer? You're not alone. New research finds Kiwis are among the most hooked on work during holidays.

Editorial: What is it about Hollywood that causes the Government to go weak at the knees?

A labour group monitoring three Chinese factories that make iPhones and other Apple products says once-oppressive working conditions have steadily improved in the last 18 months.

So should we look on the TPP with hope or dread? Impossible to say until we know what "it" is, writes Brian Fallow. It doesn't help that these meetings are conducted with all the secrecy of a papal election.

Kelsen Findlay remembers the sense of awe he and classmates had at the start of their degree that one of their peers had scored an internship at Saatchi & Saatchi, Auckland.

A pregnant solo mother sacked a week before Christmas for allegedly stealing a $35 T-shirt has been awarded almost $20,000 for wrongful dismissal.

General Motors product development chief Mary Barra has been named the company's new chief executive, the first female head of a US car company.

The NZIER shadow board believes the Reserve Bank should leave the official cash rate on hold at 2.5 per cent when it reviews it tomorrow.

Editorial: The Reserve Bank is sailing on largely uncharted sails with its restrictions on low-deposit home loans.

ANZ says its Truckometer is still pointing to strong momentum in the economy despite dipping last month.