Some shops are selling fake urine and detox kits to help people beat workplace drugs tests.

Rebel Sport says it got a bargain by being first out of the blocks to sign an ad campaign deal with Sonny Bill Williams.

Food prices fell 0.1pc last month. For the year to August, prices have fallen 0.2pc - the fourth consecutive month of food price declines.

Business owners in central Christchurch are anxious about their shops being sealed away from customers behind cordons a week after the earthquake.

Canterbury businesses are doing a third less trade than the same time last year in the wake of Saturday's earthquake, latest electronic transaction figures show.

Two heritage buildings in central Christchurch are likely to be demolished this afternoon due to quake damage, the city council says.

Welfare staff are unable to contact thousands of solo pensioners in Canterbury and the Government is urging anyone looking after them to get in touch.

John Key has cancelled his scheduled trip to Europe in the wake of the Christchurch earthquake.

Supermarket chains are counting millions of dollars in damaged stock as they ship in groceries to cover shortages and access lost to distribution centres.

Hiring intentions as measured by Manpower's quarterly employment outlook survey have plateaued as employers hold off on growth plans.

If you only have a minute and you want today's need-to-know earthquake news at a glance, this is the page for you.

Aftershocks rocking Christchurch have damaged an earthquake welfare centre and forced its closure.

Devastated shop owners in Christchurch had to flee as aftershocks interrupted their damage checks.