It was advertised as the Labour Party's last big policy of the election campaign. So small was it in size and so opaque was its intention that Labour's motive was anyone's guess.

New Zealand's biggest medical and health insurer has posted a $1.1 million annual loss after a record $694.5 million in claims.

This week a nation heads to the polls for one of the most important votes in its history, Liam Dann writes.

House hunters desperate to secure their dream home are risking financial disaster by signing unconditional purchase agreements before their current property has sold.

Auckland's newest special housing area has just been announced and it's a huge site at Papakura. So how many new homes could it hold?

NZ food prices rose in August, paring the previous month's fall, as more expensive tomatoes, lettuce and broccoli offset discounted breads.

House sales fell 7 per cent in August according to REINZ figures as the upcoming election adds another uncertainty for buyers.

Labour's proposal for a capital gains tax was centre stage at a New Zealand Herald Mood of the Boardroom breakfast in Auckland yesterday.

What should an inflation-targeting central bank do when inflation is proving unexpectedly slow to make an appearance?

Every year, vast sums flow into and out of the Crown's coffers, but the amount of new money available for fiscally responsible political parties to fight over - call it the fiscal battlefield - is quite small.

When it comes to the economy the country's two major parties are promising to take New Zealand in very different directions, writes Bryce Edwards.

In an effort to lower rates and weaken the currency, Labour is pledging to broaden the RBNZ's policy goal by re-writing its main objective.

The Reserve Bank still sees interest rate increases in our future but fewer and further between than it foreshadowed three months ago, writes Brian Fallow.

Blow for Labour as big business gets behind Prime Minister in Herald's Mood of the Boardroom survey.

Every year, the Herald surveys this country's chief executives to ascertain and assess their views on the outlook for their businesses and the economy.

The NZ dollar declined as investors gain confidence about a recovery in the US economy, increasing demand for the US dollar.

NZIER's monetary policy shadow board recommends the Reserve Bank keep the official cash rate on hold at 3.5 per cent tomorrow.

A top economist has labelled small political parties' policies "mad" and a serious risk to New Zealand.