It may have been a little early for wine, but Japan's Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, was on a tight schedule in Auckland so lunch at Villa Maria winery started about 11.45am.

The country is enjoying high job growth, which is encouraging people to stay here rather than pack up for Australia, Trade Me says.

Fonterra said milk collection across New Zealand for the month of June reached 9 million kg of milksolids, 10.1 per cent higher than the same month last year.

Damien Grant asks: Why can we buy Fair Trade coffee but not Fair Trade electronics?

John Key will have to pick his way through a diplomatic minefield when he hosts Japan PM Shinzo Abe in Auckland on Monday during his first formal visit to New Zealand.

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.

Dairy product prices fell to the lowest level since January 2013 in the latest GlobalDairyTrade auction, paced by a drop in butter and anhydrous milk fat.

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.

Our Government, with almost 50 other countries, is negotiating another secret deal in the shadows of the World Trade Organisation, writes Jane Kelsey.

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