Fonterra's $7 per kg farmgate milk price forecast for 2014/15 is once again under significant downward pressure because of ongoing falls in international dairy prices.

June provided further evidence that the terms of trade is headed south, albeit from the most favourable levels in 40 years.

New Zealand commodity prices fell for a fourth straight month in June, led by apples, logs, whole and skim milk powder.

New Zealand posted its seventh monthly trade surplus in May, led by overseas demand for the nation's primary products such as milk powder, butter and cheese.

Port of Tauranga has signed a freight deal with the Fonterra, Silver Fern Farms and container shipping line Maersk that will facilitate the arrival of 6,500 TEU ships to NZ.

Australia is forecast to be among the fastest-growing economies this year, making it harder for the central bank to convince currency investors it won't raise interest rates.

The Kiwi dollar touched a two-month high overnight, approaching 87.50 US cents, after a measure of Chinese manufacturing was stronger than expected

Strong growth in construction led to a 1.0 per cent rise in gross domestic product (GDP) in the March 2014 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today.

New Zealand recorded a $1.4 billion current account surplus in the March quarter, the largest ever.

Fonterra Cooperative Group has tapped the president of its China operations, Kelvin Wickham, to head up the newly created global ingredients