A surge of Eftpos and credit card transactions shows New Zealanders are picking up the purchasing pace in the lead-up to Christmas.

Trelise Cooper has opened her first standalone store in Sydney and Kate Sylvester is doing the same next week.

The Government's shake up of the electricity sector could be the last chance the competitive pricing model has, says Consumer NZ chief executive Sue Chetwin.

Transactions using electronic cards rose 0.7 per cent for retail industries in November from a month earlier, mainly due to a rise in vehicle fuel sales.

Shares in KFC, Starbucks and Pizza Hut operator Restaurant Brands closed at a seven-year high.

Luxury skincare is a world unto its own.