Dene Mackenzie

Debate is continuing in New Zealand about whether the deployment of fibre to all homes is affordable. While the talking continues, Qualcomm is pushing mobile broadband as an alternative. Dene Mackenzie reports.

The second quarter result by New Zealand Exchange Ltd (NZX) underlined the reduced cyclical exposure of the operator of the country's stock exchange, Forsyth Barr broker Ken Lister said yesterday.

Investor concerns about the health of Apple Inc chief Steve Jobs is spurring questions about how far companies must go in telling shareholders about a top executive's position.

Otago's wealthy residents got richer in the past 12 months, collectively increasing their assets by $280 million, as measured by the NBR Rich List.

Home owners could be waiting a long time before receiving relief from falling mortgage rates, Dunedin financial adviser Peter Smith said yesterday.

Exporters were the immediate beneficiaries of the official cash rate being cut 0.25% yesterday as the Reserve Bank sought to rebalance the economy.

The annual presentation of certificates to new members of the Institute of Accountants in Dunedin this week had a distinctive local theme running through the evening.

A bond issue by Marac Finance proved popular with investors as it closed yesterday over-subscribed at $104.2 million.

The Government has committed $80.2 million as the first step in upgrading KiwiRail, including some funding to see whether it is feasible to assemble locomotives at the Hutt workshops with help from Hillside, in Dunedin.

The Reserve Bank will tomorrow announce whether it will cut its official cash rate - a decision that will mean hardly anything to home owners and wage and salary earners struggling to make ends meet.