The head of New Zealand's investment regulator has hit out at the Government's energy company sharemarket floats and says they have failed to lead the way in making it easier for retail investors to access information.

The "grumpiest" telecommunications debate in more than a decade could be all but settled next week.

Facebook has posted a 60 per cent revenue increase in the third quarter thanks to mobile advertising growth.

Stocks in software firm GeoOp soared 140 per cent in its debut on the NZAX after it sold shares in a private offering, raising $10 million to fund its global growth.

In the latest NSA bombshell, the Washington Post reports the spy agency has secretly broken into the main communication links for Yahoo and Google.

NZ Oil and Gas has a moral obligation to pay Pike River families it's claimed - after shareholders yesterday voted not to fork out $3.41m awarded by judge.

Fonterra says the potential contamination of 14 milk tankers with mud and gravel is a "very minor incident" and its safety systems worked as intended.

The banking ombudsman has had 10 complaints about the loan-to-value-ratio (LVR) changes introduced on October 1, with eight related to banks withdrawing prior approvals.

An Auckland software company has secured $4 million in new capital, which it will use to expand its presence in Australia and establish a base in the United States.

The first funding commitment has been made through a joint agreement signed last year between the Government-backed venture capital funds in this country and Taiwan.

A "carrot" rather than a stick should be used to encourage people to move to ultra-fast broadband and keeping slower internet prices higher is the wrong way to get them to switch.

Negotiations between the United States Justice Department and JPMorgan have hit a stumbling block that has put the talks at risk.

Having the capability to build end-to-end meat processing and packaging systems is helping Milmeq win major deals on the world stage, says chief executive Mike Lightfoot.

The FMA yesterday called on issuers of investment statements and prospectuses to "lift their game" after its report on the industry following its guidance note of June last year.

Tokyo-listed liquor giant Asahi has written more than $500m off the carrying value of NZ's Independent Liquor, the brewing company it purchased for $1.5b in 2011.

New Zealand Oil and Gas shareholders voted yesterday not to pay reparation of $3.41 million to the Pike River families.

The price of newly-listed Meridian Energy instalment receipts edged higher this morning.