Wellington, Oct 19 NZPA - The Commerce Commission is promoting regulation general manager Brent Alderton to chief executive in January, replacing Nicholas Hill who will leave the competition watchdog at the end of the year.

Wellington, Sept 7 NZPA - The New Zealand sharemarket opened relatively quietly this morning as trade overseas thinned since the US Labour Day holiday gave overseas markets no data to digest.

Wellington, Sept 3 NZPA - The New Zealand sharemarket rose in early trading as encouraging US data kept investors optimistic ahead of tonight's US monthly payroll figures.

Wellington, Aug 6 NZPA - The New Zealand sharemarket was quiet in early trading, following a relatively weak performance from overseas markets as US weekly jobless claims raised concerns and investors anticipate more disappointing US payroll numbers tonight.

Wellington, Aug 3 NZPA - The New Zealand sharemarket rose in early trading today as relatively positive global data incited overseas market investors to start their week on a bold note.

Wellington, July 8 NZPA - Pan Pacific Petroleum said blowout preventers are being installed to the Kahu-1 exploration well off the Taranaki coast today.

Wellington, July 5 NZPA - Production from the Tui area oil fields off the Taranaki Coast is expected to fall by about two-fifths in the coming year, as production rates decline naturally and one of the wells in the field is shut in for repairs.

Wellington, June 11 NZPA - The New Zealand sharemarket opened marginally lower, while oil companies took a slight blow with news an exploration well has not found "a commercially significant oil accumulation".

Wellington, April 19 NZPA - Widespread Energy has plugged and abandoned its Kotuku exploration bore on the West Coast of the South Island, which it reported oil and gas flows at in March.

Wellington, April 16 NZPA - The New Zealand sharemarket ended slightly lower with Telecom's price closing unchanged as a debate raged about its future prospects in an uncertain regulatory environment.