About 900 F & P Healthcare production, maintenance and distribution workers at the company's Highbrook plant have given 14 days notice of strike action over a pay dispute.

The New Zealand stock exchange closed today down 2.78 per cent after sharp falls earlier today, but more markets around the world are continuing to suffer from investor concerns about the downgrading of the US credit rating.

Events aim to encourage university researchers and companies to start talking to each other.

The New Zealand sharemarket rose yesterday when many other markets were weak and a large volume was traded in the shares of New Zealand Oil & Gas, the 29 per cent shareholder of Pike River Coal Ltd.