Against a backdrop of rising share prices and a booming Auckland housing market, investor confidence reached its highest level.

Finance Minister, Bill English, has high hopes that New Zealanders will buy into the partial float of Meridian Energy.

Meridian Energy, New Zealand's biggest and most profitable power company, will be partially privatised later this year, Finance Minister Bill English confirmed in yesterday's Budget.

The Government will waste no time selling down Meridian Energy with Treasury officials expected to meet investment bankers on Monday.

Senior executives of newly listed, state-controlled Mighty River Power are in line for shares in lieu of cash bonuses worth $1.2 million for the year to June 30.

Analysts at Macquarie say further details in today's Budget of a possible government sell-down of Air New Zealand could help push the airline's share price.

Eighty thousand first-time investors buying Mighty River Power shares is a good start, but hopefully more will take the opportunity to take up share offers in the future, the Government says.

The government will be keen to see Mighty River Power shares trade at a premium to its $2.50 issue price when it lists on the NZX today, fund managers say.

The high number of first-time sharemarket investors buying into Mighty River Power bodes well for the capital markets, says the New Zealand Shareholders Association.

Editorial: Naturally enough, the Government was keen to put the entire blame for what happened on "politicking" by Labour and the Greens.

Mighty River Power stock may be in demand when it lists tomorrow from international buyers who are faced with low yields in their own markets.

The Government has secured a mid-range price for its sale of Mighty River Power shares but just one in four of those who pre-registered ended up buying shares.

Next week's Budget will be a Budget for the board room, not the smoko room, says Labour leader David Shearer.

How do I choose which companies to invest in? And what does it mean to have a diversified portfolio?

There are clear signs KiwiSaver is growing our retirement savings, but will it boost our capital markets? asks Blair Turnbull.

Spurred by tourism and the Crafar sale, Chinese investors are eyeing NZ assets.

Spectre of regulation could spark uncertainty and undermine recovering capital markets.

After a noticeably flat 2012 the Mergers and Acquisitions market is much busier this year. When you combine this with the Government-led and private sector IPOs, I think we're seeing the most buoyant capital market situation we've had for some time.

Maori need $3 billion in investment capital to bring more Maori freehold farmland into production.

The greatest challenge facing KiwiSavers is that though most young people realise they have to do something for their retirement, their current contribution levels are not going to make them comfortable.

Securities law change will put directors' responsibilities under the microscope, writes Lloyd Kavanagh.

Will KiwiSaver members start changing between schemes or funds to follow the best performers once the new disclosure regime is in place?