The private equity and venture capital industry’s upcoming annual conference will look at the challenges and opportunities for New Zealand investors as investment markets adjust to the economic climate, says New Zealand Private Equity and Venture Capital Association executive director Colin McKinnon. The eighth annual NZVCA conference is being held in Auckland on 4 November. The conference draws together New Zealand’s private ...more »

The latest retail trade stats are somewhat of a warm relief to the recent chill weather. Seasonally adjusted sales rose by1.1 percent in the last month. But the cool conditions may have contributed to the pick-up in retail sales. Clothing and softgoods sales in August had the largest increase ($14 million, 6.6 percent) across the 24 industries that StatsNZ monitors....more »

David Irving is one of four Business School academics to produce a new business publication (to be launched next week) called Changing Gears. This book is being described as the essential introduction to growing your Kiwi business. Mike from 95bFM talks to David about anything and everything to do with business. Click here to listen to Ready Steady Learn on 95bFM (mp3) About the book: Sharing the success stories of real New Zealand ...more »

The “good” news is that the current account deficit is down sharply, and that our net international debtor position is slightly less cringe-worthy than in March. But the main reasons for this are the stronger exchange rate, poor demand for imported intermediate goods, and an Aussie bank having to pay its taxes. The current account deficit narrowed drastically in the June 2009 quarter....more »

Want to wear something that’ll make going to bed more enjoyable? AgResearch scientists have come up with something that will help. AgResearch has made a breakthrough in textiles that allows a natural product which is lightweight, has no chemical treatment, helps sleeping, maintains and regulates temperature and looks and feels fantastic. “Easy Care Wool Sleepwear works in both summer and winter and we believe makes excellent ...more »

Dr Andrew West, Chairman of Innovation Waikato, has suggested that if the current generations making decisions on New Zealand’s economy were a management team the Board of Directors would have sacked them by 1965; at the latest. Dr West noted this failure in a speech outlining an economic prescription for sustainable science-led economic growth in a keynote speech today to the Australasian Research Management Society in ...more »

Read Nicki Crauford's article (DominionPost, 14 September 2009). Telecom CEO Paul Reynolds’ remuneration package recently came under scrutiny with comments ranging from him being worth his weight in gold, his overall package being obscene and that compared to the Wall Street payouts his performance-related bonus was “peanuts”. It doesn’t matter who said what but each is worth examining. There has been international ...more »

The markets were thrown into turmoil this morning with the unexpected, and unprecedented, joint OECD/IMF/Federal Reserve announcement that the recession ended yesterday at 3.12pm GMT. Clearly caught on the hop, market players burnt the midnight oil as they juggled their strategic holdings and revised their profit forecasts for the coming year....more »

Angel investors have invested a record $30 million into young New Zealand companies over the first six months of 2009, taking the amount invested over the past three-and-a-half years to over $100 million, according to the Young Company Finance Private Finance Index.   The $30 million invested in the first half of this year is more than was invested throughout all of 2008. It is 50 percent higher than was invested in the first half of ...more »

A new angel investment partnership is looking to invest up to $8 million developing technology ventures emerging from life sciences, engineering and ICT research.   The partnership between the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund and AngelLink, the newly-formed national angel investment network, aims to invest up to $8 million into high growth technology ventures. AngelLink chairman Chris de Boer welcomed the partnership with ...more »