Wellington, Dec 23 NZPA - Four major banks tonight settled long-running disputes with the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), and will pay 80 percent of the amount in dispute, more than $2.2 billion.

Wellington, Dec 23 NZPA - Four major banks have settled their long-running disputes with the Inland Revenue Department. The Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Robert Russell, and the Solicitor-General, David Collins QC, said they are pleased long-running tax disputes have been settled.

Wellington, Dec 21 NZPA - Allied Farmers shares fell 32 percent to 10c today as investors in Hanover Group started trading the shares they received in the deal that only just got investor approval last week.

Well, there were some goodies under the Government's Christmas tree after all. Wellington got a $2 billion highway and some tunnels, for which Transport Minister Steven Joyce has been duly thanked.

Wellington, Dec 21 NZPA - Allied Farmers shares lost nearly a third of their value by lunchtime today after 1.9 billion shares were issued to the former investors in Hanover Finance.

Wellington, Dec 18 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key remains hopeful of a deal at Copenhagen but thinks if progress is to be made ambitions may need to lower.

Wellington, Dec 16 NZPA - The Government is promising a quick response in the new year to a report recommending a range of moves to improve capital markets in New Zealand.

Wellington, Dec 16 NZPA - NZX chief executive Mark Weldon believes that fixing "black holes" in the regulation of financial products in New Zealand could usher in a new era for capital markets.

Wellington, Dec 16 NZPA - Unions are calling on the Government to put more money into job creation after the Treasury reported a slightly improved economic outlook. The Treasury update, released yesterday, showed the recession had hurt the economy but not as much as had been feared.

Wellington, Dec 14 NZPA - Debt issuers, including finance companies dealing with moratoria, will face tougher regulations from January 31 next year, Commerce Minister Simon Power says.