Fisher & Paykel has shown off the result of 17 years of top-secret research, saying its new compressor is a revolutionary change.

World share prices surged overnight, bolstered by solid data from US, China and a good European growth forecast.

Dairy and meat exports were the main contributors to a 3.8 per cent rise in exported goods prices in the June 2010 quarter.

The New Zealand dollar opened firmer this morning as anxiety about the global economy eased.

The Commerce Commission has filed proceedings in the High Court in Auckland against a number of multi-national freight forwarding companies.