Property

• Summer revamp for New Plymouth Airport (18 January 2012)
• Strong finish for real estate sales in Dec (18 January 2012)
• Housing rental demand stays strong (18 January 2012)
• Auckland tops 'least affordable homes' list (12 January 2012)

KiwiSaver & Saving

Concern increased retirement contributions could result in backdoor education cuts

The education sector union NZEI TE Riu Roa is calling on the government to come clean about how increased employer contributions to Kiwisaver and other retirement schemes will be funded for the education sector.

• Key --- for mandate read mockery (25 May 2011)
• KiwiSaver cuts put further pressure on Health budget (24 May 2011)
• Public mandates one of four major Budget policy proposals (22 May 2011)
• English takes Budget message to investors (20 May 2011)

Home Loans

• Kiwibank launches four-year mortgage special (12 January 2012)
• Home loan rate of 4.99% (17 November 2011)
• HSBC drops fixed mortgage rates (9 November 2011)
• ASB cuts home loan rates (1 November 2011)

Employment

• Online skilled job vacancies slip in November (25 January 2012)
• CrestClean marks 15th year with 150 new jobs (24 January 2012)
• Slippery Slope for job adverts (19 January 2012)
• South Island hiring intentions at eight year high (18 January 2012)

Tax

• Speech: Peter Dunne to NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants (11 November 2011)
• NZ-Hong Kong tax agreement in force (10 November 2011)
• Is gifting really free? (27 October 2011)
• Tax admin, compliance suggestions sought (3 October 2011)

Prices & Spending

Discretionary spending increases

Figures released today by Paymark, which processes around 75% of all electronic transactions in New Zealand, show that Kiwis spent a total of just over $4.6 billion in December via Paymark's network, pushing the annual growth rate up slightly to 3.4 per cent.

• Electronic card spending up again in October (9 November 2011)
• Oily Rag by numbers (16 September 2011)
• Tomatoes and green vegetables lift food prices (25 August 2011)
• Core retail card spending up (9 August 2011)

Investing

• Getting a better investment return - easy as PIE (19 January 2012)
• Global deleveraging backdrop for modest growth (22 December 2011)
• Long-term investment benefits niche super fund (5 December 2011)
• Australian private equity 'deliver stable, solid returns' (15 November 2011)

Business

• Firms appointed for Mighty River Power IPO (27 January 2012)
• CraFarm 'victor' still has hurdles to jump (27 January 2012)
• Gentrack signs deal with Hong Kong airport (27 January 2012)
• Crafar farm decision 'a kick in the guts' for Kiwi farmers (27 January 2012)