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New Zealand

Today

Nicola Willis

New Zealand eyes breaking its supermarket duopoly

The local unit of Woolworths and Foodstuffs New Zealand have a stranglehold on the grocery sector, which has been blamed for high prices.

NZ fresh produce giant tempts Aussie agribusiness investors

The travails at T&G Global spell opportunity for Australia’s big players, which have been battling for larger slices of the sector.

This Month

How the Hawke’s Bay wine region weathered its most challenging year

AFR’s wine writer discovers a tale of two vineyards and a remarkable comeback story in the wake of the 2023 Cyclone Gabrielle floods.

Square Peg’s Paul Bassatt, OneVentures’ Michelle Deaker, Airtree’s Craig Blair,  Andrea Gardiner of Jelix Ventures, and Blackbird’s Rick Baker are among the investors who responded to the AFR survey.

14 venture capitalists unpack the year ahead

More than a dozen of the country’s biggest tech investors say floats will return, there’s no AI bubble, and Donald Trump may be good news for local firms.

Anthony Albanese and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

CANZUK: An idea whose time has come

For a decade, a formal alliance of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and UK, was treated as a worthy idea, but not urgent. Then came the second Donald Trump term.

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Sell-off could worsen; Cannon-Brookes’ jet conflict; Myer’s big changes

Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.

Jetting out: There’s been an increae in the number of New Zealanders moving across the ditch.

New Zealanders are emigrating in record numbers

The country’s economy is in a rut, which helps explain why 15 per cent of its population is in Australia.

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ASX dives 1.6pc; Tariffs ‘entirely unjustified’; The threat worse than tariffs

Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.

Reserve Bank of New Zealand Governor Adrian Orr has resigned.

NZ Reserve Bank governor resigns as nation tries to shake off recession

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand was unable to explain why Adrian Orr abruptly quit on Wednesday in Wellington with three years still to run in his second five-year term.

The Country Road brand will have a new boss, Helen Wright, who will take up to role in late March.

Country Road sales, profit crushed amid restructure

Fashion retailer Country Road’s profit plunged more than 70 per cent due to weak sales, higher operating costs and a split from department store David Jones.

February

People’s Liberation Army-Navy Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang.

Albanese accused of soft-pedalling on Chinese navy drills

Australian air traffic controllers only learnt of Chinese navy live-firing exercise thanks to a Virgin Australia pilot flying over the Tasman Sea.

Wu Qian: “China’s actions are in full compliance with international law and international practices and will not affect aviation safety.”

China slams Australia for ‘hyping up’ live-fire drills in Tasman Sea

The defence ministry has hit back at Australia’s response to its naval exercises off the east coast, labelling Canberra’s protests as “unreasonable”.

Christopher Luxon: “What we are doing is monitoring and shadowing and tracking the fleet.”

NZ ‘monitoring’ live-fire drills by China in international waters

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said it was unclear where the Chinese naval vessels were headed in international waters and for what purpose.

Transurban boss Michelle Jablko

Transurban looks to NZ, US after $15m interim net loss

The toll road group would consider opportunities with “right partners, right structures” in New Zealand after legal costs ate into interim profits.

Super Retail Group CEO Anthony Heraghty said competitive intensity and discounting in the auto business was elevated in the first half.

Supercheap owner’s shares tumble as first-half profit sinks

The stock fell nearly 14 per cent on Thursday after revealing net profit fell 9 per cent to $130 million – well below market expectations.

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The a2 Milk Company CEO David Bortolussi has lifted the group’s full year sales and earnings guidance.

Fewer babies: a2 Milk targets China’s growing grey population

The infant formula and fresh milk maker will pay a maiden dividend of 8.5¢ a share after it lifted its sale and earnings outlook for the year.

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Chemist Warehouse scores $34b pay day in ASX debut

The founders were on hand as the retailer made its sharemarket debut on Thursday via Sigma, with plans to expand in Australia and globally.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

New Zealand ‘blindsided’ by Cook Islands-China deal

New Zealand, along with Australia and the United States, have become increasingly concerned about China’s growing presence in the Pacific region.

The NZ government hopes to attract more wealthy migration to cities like Auckland, pictured from above here.

New Zealand changes ‘golden visa’ to lure wealthy migrants

The government has come up with two options to encourage high net worth individuals to live and invest in the country.

January

Citi says investors should buy up the Australian dollar.

Is it time for investors to pile back into the beaten-up $A?

Citi believes the US dollar is primed for a pullback given Donald Trump’s more measured approach to tariffs. That’s good news for the beaten-up Aussie dollar.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/new-zealand-djw