Prices continued to improve at this morning’s GlobalDairyTrade auction, the GDT price index gaining 1 per cent since the last sale a fortnight ago.

Chinese equities plunged the most in five years, led by brokerages, after regulatory efforts to rein in record margin lending sparked concern.

Financial markets will this week find whether the Swiss National Bank's fears were well-founded when the European Central Bank announces its plan to revive economic growth.

Oil advanced after the International Energy Agency lowered forecasts for supplies from outside Opec and an industry report showed US companies had reduced drilling activity.

Global fallout from the shock decision by Switzerland's move to remove the cap on the franc has widened with more traders and hedge funds closing or facing escalating losses.

Falling milk powder prices have hit consumers' economic confidence in the key dairy regions of Southland and the Waikato, says Westpac.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs has welcomed the peaceful elections in Sri Lanka and congratulated the country's new president after a shock election result.

The volume and value of cash trading on New Zealand's stock exchange fell last month from a year earlier.

The Kiwi dollar rose to a 21-month high against the euro after data showed the Eurozone slipped into deflation.

Dairy farmers were offered a respite from what has so far been a dismal season for prices after the GlobalDairyTrade index gained 3.6 per cent at the first auction for 2015.

The NZ dollar has hit a fresh post-float high against the Aussie dollar - touching 96.22 Australian cents. Why is it doing so well?

The international dairy trade has started 2015 on a positive note at this morning's GlobalDairyTrade auction, up 3.6 per cent on last month's auction.

Turning carparks into eateries where diners sit on plastic stools and share their table with random strangers may not sound like a recipe for success.

United States markets head into the last week of the year with a "Santa Claus rally" having lifted them to record highs, picking up momentum from outstanding GDP numbers in the world's biggest economy.

A survey of portable cots for sale in New Zealand has uncovered potentially fatal safety defects - including folding mechanisms that could trap a child's neck.

New Zealand posted its smallest November trade deficit in four years, beating economist forecasts, as falling dairy prices were offset by a rise in meat exports.

New Zealand cleaning products company ecostore has signed a deal that will see the company export to South Korea from next year.

The attack of the new clutter - otherwise known as Christmas - is on its way....