Dairy product prices dropped to the lowest level since July 2012 in the latest GlobalDairyTrade auction, led by a slump in rennet casein and butter milk powder.

New Zealand commodity prices fell for a sixth straight month in August, taking the index to a 17-month low.

New Zealand's terms of trade held at a 40-year high in the second quarter, as a high New Zealand dollar pushed down the price of imports, offsetting a decline in exports.

Fonterra is pinning its hopes on a tie-up with Chinese infant formula giant Beingmate as it pushes into China's lucrative baby milk market.

National is trying to position itself as the only party which will deliver major free trade agreements, saying that Labour's trade policies will be scuppered by any potential coalition partners.

Fonterra says it plans to spend about $1.17 bon taking a 20 per cent stake in China's Beingmate Baby & Child to boost its baby formula aspirations there.

Falling prices for dairy and forest product exports drove the trade balance into the red last month.

The New Zealand dollar took a sudden and unexplained dip in early trading yesterday, fuelling speculation that the Reserve Bank may have chosen to exploit thin trading conditions.

Peter Lyons writes: It is important that the team in charge of the economy is paddling in the right direction.

New Zealand wool prices have risen over the last few weeks and have performed strongly over the last year because of a wool shortage, ASB Bank said in the latest issue of its Commodities Weekly.

New Zealand wine has established itself as a major commodity after exports increased by 10 per cent in volume and value to a record $1.33 billion in the year to June

Log export trade helped offset a 10 per cent decline in Port of Tauranga's container business, allowing the company to report a record underlying profit of $78.3 million for the June year.

New Zealand wine exports increased by 10 per cent in both volume and value to a record $1.33 billion in the year to June.

The Port of Tauranga said its underlying group net profit rose by 1.3 per cent to a record $78.3m thanks to an increase in bulk cargo.

Dairy prices showed signs of stabilising overnight, with the GlobalDairyTrade main price index slipping by just 0.6 per cent.

Export demand for New Zealand craft beer is expected to triple over the next decade as Asian consumers develop a taste for boutique brews.

Export log prices have stabilised and are improving a little, despite conditions in the country's biggest market, China, remaining difficult.

A swamp kauri company fined for draining protected wetland in Northland's "black gold rush" has failed owing more than $5 million.

A one-year ban instituted by Russia on food imports from the West could hurt NZ's dairy trade, even though local exports are exempt, say economists.

The South China Morning Post's editors have a sense of humour: "New Zealand MP Winston Peters accused of racism over Wong joke" was the headline.

Itell my students that my initial enthusiasm for economics was sparked by the most attractive female teacher at my school. Unfortunately they will need to find other reasons for enjoying the subject.

Auckland infant formula maker New Image says it is "getting back into production" for the Chinese market now it has finally received clearance to export its products.

Russia's sweeping bans on imports of European, US and Australian food may prove a diplomatically embarrassing bonanza for New Zealand's cheese exporters.

Dairy product prices slumped to the lowest level since October 2012 in the latest GlobalDairyTrade auction, paced by whole milk powder and cheddar.

Commodity prices fell for a fifth straight month, led by whole milk powder, reflecting a build-up of inventory in China and strong local milk production.

Kiwi exporters should look to market more premium products to an increasingly wealthy Chinese consumer, says Shanghai-based economist Mary Boyd.

Exporters can only hope that the economic news out of the United States this week will reinforce, or at least not reverse.