Dene Mackenzie

The Reserve Bank is ruling out any increase in its official cash rate, which will be a relief to exporters and those who are battling a high dollar driven by this country's high interest rates compared with Australia's.

The gap between housing affordability in Auckland and the rest of the country is now the widest it has been in the 25-year history of the Massey Home Affordability Report.

Sir Ron Brierley (77), one of New Zealand's best-known corporate raiders of the 1980s and '90s, has resigned from the board of Coats Group, ending a 25-year tenure.

Air New Zealand carried 1.51 million passengers in March, 8.5% more than in the corresponding period last year.

One of the most-heard complaints about petrol prices is the claim companies are quick to pass on oil price rises but are slow to pass on the falling prices. NZX-listed Z Energy commissioned NZIER to update its 2013 report on the issue. Business editor Dene Mackenzie reports.

The plummeting iron ore price has wiped $A74 billion ($NZ74.9 billion) from the value of Australia's key iron ore mining stocks since January last year and analysts expect the share prices to continue their fall as the price for the commodity slides.

Forsyth Barr has increased its share target price for Z Energy by 10c a share to $5.10, following the latest operating statistics from the energy company.

A speech by Reserve Bank assistant governor John McDermott on Thursday takes on extra significance following inflation in March being weaker than the markets expected.

It is unusual these days when a new release of a mobile phone costing a ''reasonable'' amount of money can grab attention.

Lower petrol prices are expected to to sink first quarter inflation to just 0.1%, taking annual inflation down to 0.2% or 0.3% and remaining well below the Reserve Bank's 1% to 3% target range.

Dairy co-operative Fonterra attracted $100 million of oversubscriptions for its 2021 bonds in a sale that was helped from the maturity of $800 million of its existing debt.

Applying the Reserve Bank's lending restrictions to Auckland speculators, rather than on regions, families or first home buyers, could be a solution to the housing market crisis, Labour leader Andrew Little said yesterday.

Provincial areas like Otago were going to be penalised through the new system to determine car licensing levies, Labour MP David Parker said yesterday.

Auckland driving NZ housing policyIf there was any doubt about why Auckland needed special rules to help with its housing demands, it was removed yesterday in a speech by Reserve Bank deputy governor Grant Spencer. Business editor DeneMackenzie reports.