ANZ's commodity price index fell for the ninth month in a row in November, as milk powder prices hit five-year lows.

Falling dairy prices have begun to undermine one of the foundations of the economic upswing, rising national income from the most favourable terms of trade.

Tomorrow will see the last GlobalDairyTrade auction before Fonterra releases its revised farmgate milk price forecast for 2014/15.

Fonterra says it had started a consultation process to gauge interest in a proposed equity partnership trust for its farmers.

Global dairy markets have plummeted but New Zealand beef prices have continued to hit record highs, while sheepmeat prices have stayed firm, Rabobank says.

Dairy farmers should be able to weather a low payout for the current season, thanks to last year's record milk price, but two poor seasons in a row would put the sector under financial stress,....

John Key says major companies have been asked not to exploit the gap left by other countries' trade sanctions on Russia because to do so would be a "terrible look" for NZ.

The Fonterra Shareholders' Fund should be able to raise its 2015 dividend forecast given it expects to pay farmers less for their milk.

Fonterra Co-operative Group shareholders used their annual meeting in Palmerston North to raise concerns over the reduced 2015 milk payout.

International dairy prices showed signs of stabilising at this morning’s GlobalDairyTrade auction.

New Zealand commodity prices fell for the eighth consecutive month in October, to the lowest level since March last year.

Bank of New Zealand is watching dairy prices closely but has faith in farmers' ability to manage finances through dips in the commodities cycle, says chief executive Anthony Healy.

World dairy prices showed signs of levelling off today with the GlobalDairyTrade price index gaining 1.4 per cent at the fortnightly auction.

New Zealand's "rock star" economic growth of the past couple of years has been attributed to two things: high dairy prices and the Christchurch rebuild.

New Zealand commodity prices fell for a seventh consecutive month to an 18-month low in September, led by declining dairy prices.

Farmers are preparing for an austere 2014/15 season after a major drop in prices at last night's GlobalDairyTrade auction, says Federated Farmers boss.

Tatua, the small Waikato-based dairy co-operative, did well over the 2014/15 dairy season while its far bigger competitor, Fonterra, did not. The reason - powder.

Fonterra has just announced a cut to its forecast farmer payout - from $5.30 a kg of milksolids - down from $6.00.

Shares in Chinese baby-milk maker Beingmate Baby & Child have rallied sharply since Fonterra entered an alliance with the firm, which includes the Kiwi dairy giant buying a 20 per cent stake in its new partner.

New Zealand rural confidence levels have fallen to a two-year low thanks to plunging dairy prices, according to Rabobank's latest quarterly rural confidence survey.

Fonterra is expected to reveal operating earnings at the lower end of an already published forecast range for the year to July 31 when it reports its result tomorrow.