The New Zealand dollar fell below 87 US cents on the back of weaker equity markets as investors refocused their attention on the stumbling US economy and Europe's sovereign debt crisis.

New Zealand commodity prices were stable last month, with weakness in logs and dairy products, while kiwifruit prices rose, according to the latest ANZ Commodity Price Index.

Reaction from economists to today's Reserve Bank decision to keep the OCR at a record low of 2.5 per cent.

Big banks shout Treasury staff to meals and events with 'disturbing frequency'.

GDP growth twice as strong as forecasters picked despite earthquake

Weak credit demand could curtail earnings growth for the big New Zealand banks, says credit rating agency Standard and Poor's.

New Zealand manufacturing rose in May to its highest level in almost a year amid signs record-high prices for the country's commodities are beginning to filter through to the wider economy.