REINZ figures show the national median house price fell 4.2 per cent in April, but rose 18pc in Auckland.

New Zealand shares rose yesterday, paced by SkyCity Entertainment Group and Meridian Energy as investors mulled a possible rate cut.

Expectations of rising house prices remain close to historic highs in ASB's quarterly survey of housing market sentiment.

A second banking chief has denied Auckland has a housing bubble, saying many factors were combining to drive prices up including the city's sheer desirability.

A newly licensed online lending service is targeting prospective homeowners who have been shut out of the mainstream mortgage market by low-equity loan restrictions.

An official cash rate of 3.5 per cent, which would have been base camp in previous cycles, is now being seen as the highest it will climb this time.

Vector chief executive Simon Mackenzie believes Tesla's new batteries will help transform the energy sector.

Fonterra will late this month release its milk price forecast for 2015/16 and indications are that it will be towards the lower end of market expectations.

The dollar may decline this week as economists bet the Reserve Bank will start cutting interest rates as early as next month.

A booming property market is dragging rare finds on to the sales list - the latest the former Onehunga Post Office.

Macquarie chief executive Nicholas Moore took home more than A$45,000 ($47,618) a day last year as the investment group posted its best profit result since the global financial crisis.

KiwiSaver providers are struggling to move savers out of the default funds despite a requirement by the Government to give people more information on their choices.

Warehouse Group has posted a 5 per cent gain in third quarter sales to $635m which it said was in line with expectations.

Christopher Adams on Arria and Brian Henry's bright outlook, the Milford Asset Management FMA investigation and more.

Z Energy says work has slowed on its $20 million biodiesel plant but it will be finished in the next nine months.

Shares of Heartland New Zealand rose after coming out of a trading halt as Quadrant Private Equity sells its 9 per cent stake in the bank.

New Zealand dollar parity with the Australian currency became less likely yesterday after the cross rate, contrary to expectations, fell in the wake of the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to cut its official cash rate for second time this year.

The trial of former New Zealand Wine Company chief executive Peter Scutts over allegations of kickbacks continues today in the High Court at Auckland.

New Zealand should be the next cab off the rank in securing a free-trade deal with the Gulf Co-operation Council, with Prime Minister John Key "much more positive" about it.

The home loan environment could be "as good as it gets" for borrowers, although the potential remains for mortgage rates to track even lower, says Westpac NZ CEO David McLean.

Exchange operator NZX has bought livestock market information business iFarm for an undisclosed sum.

Market signals suggest international dairy prices will again fall at this week's GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) auction.

Xero is changing its tactics for hiring senior executives after the departures of its North American chief executive and a US-based chief financial officer.

New Zealand is the second-cheapest country in the world for Chinese property shoppers but also one of the most popular, according to a Chinese real estate site.

Wool prices have recovered some lost ground and are expected to remain steady throughout the year, says ASB Bank in its latest commodities report.