Oil prices in New York have tumbled to their lowest level since mid-March helped by unplanned refinery shutdowns in the US midwest.

Chinese company Shanghai Pengxin confirmed it is aiming to buy a $70 million North Island farm, which would be second-largest foreign purchase of New Zealand land.

Fine wines, controversial French delicacies and a protected species of fish have all been slapped on the taxpayers' tab by government ministers.

A plate of protected Antarctic toothfish and controversial dish foie gras were on the table at a lavish taxpayer-funded dinner hosted by Trade Minister Tim Groser.

The New Zealand dollar dropped below 85 US cents for the first time in seven weeks after Fonterra cut its forecast payout to dairy farmers.

Energy Minister Simon Bridges is defending a $240,000 bill for taxpayers to wine and dine 11 oil executives during the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

We read about it or see it in the news every other week. But very few of us can pronounce it, let alone put a name to it. Even fewer of us genuinely understand it.

Log export prices have dropped sharply since March because demand in New Zealand's biggest market - China - has fallen while supply has substantially increased.

The New Zealand dollar was the weakest major currency overnight, touching a fresh six-week low.

The Kiwi dollar shed almost one cent against the US after Reserve Bank governor Graeme Wheeler said the currency's strength was "unjustified"

The Reserve Bank governor Graeme Wheeler has raised the official cash rate as expected - leading the kiwi dollar to instantly take a tumble.

Finance Minister Bill English said the Kiwi dollar, which hit a record on a trade-weighted basis this year, is "unsustainably high".

Fonterra says it's 'realigning' its packing operations at its Canpac plant in the Waikato - and 110 jobs may be lost as a result.

The Kiwi dollar extended its slide as the crash of a Malaysian jet in rebel-held Ukraine and a ground offensive in Gaza sapped risk appetite worldwide.