Two overseas government watchdogs have issued warnings to investors about a British company offering big returns for their money.

The New Zealand sharemarket surged to a record high yesterday, driven by rises in major stocks including Telecom, Sky TV and Xero.

Rupert Murdoch is planning to create a national cable sports network in the United States to compete with ESPN.

Investors have flocked to buy News Corp's 44 per cent stake in Sky Network Television in what a broking source said was the biggest block trade on the NZX in a decade.

Rupert Murdoch's sell-down of his 43.6 per cent share of Sky TV leaves local management with greater influence over the pay television operator.

Four Lombard Finance directors could face tougher sentences as their case goes to the Court of Appeal this week.

Developers of two huge residential schemes knocked back by authorities in Auckland last week are vowing to fight for their right to build and are heading to the Environment Court.

Analysts are picking a positive reporting season driven by strong performances in the retail and construction sectors but warn New Zealand's high dollar could be a stumbling block this year.

Companies looking to invest or do business in China need to build up local relationships, use advisers who know the market.

New Zealanders are showing a rising resistance to overseas investors, a business survey has found.

Progressive Enterprises' plans to develop an entire new town centre precinct at Beachlands in southeast Auckland heads to the Environment Court today.

Executives running the country's biggest real estate syndicator, managing property assets valued at about $850 million, are examining a new venture.

A property developer linked to Belgrave Finance has escaped criminal prosecution because he is terminally ill but could still be chased by the collapsed company's receivers for damages.

Claims that late Timaru businessman Allan Hubbard misled investors came as no surprise to those still waiting for money out of his collapsed financial empire.

Market players are picking a bumper year for new sharemarket listings on the back of strong sharemarket gains and investor appetite for equities.

A whiff of lollies in the breeze - with a trace of gravy - is the sweet smell of success for a South Auckland factory providing steady jobs and export earnings.

Three stocks have the strongest backing from brokers in the 2013 broker picks.

Datacom manages IT services for firms and has more than 4000 staff in New Zealand and overseas.

When the co-founders of gopher.co.nz started to look for a new market in Southeast Asia, they were told to steer clear of Indonesia.

It isn't a surprise to see Fairfax selling out of Trade Me, writes Liam Dann. It needs the cash to pay off debt and it doesn't have anything else that it can sell quickly enough.

What skills and experience do you need to be a successful franchisee?

We hear a lot about great listed companies and we also hear a lot about great early stage success stories.

The spectre of another Berlusconi premiership has panicked the financial markets and has Italy and the euro staring into the abyss again.