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PODCAST

Best of Business

Best of Business is the home of all things business at Newstalk ZB, from morning market updates right through to incisive interviews with New Zealand’s top business leaders and decision makers. Whether you’re a small business owner or interested in what’s going on in the Big End of Town, this podcast encompasses the sharpest voices and minds in the world of business.

business business news

All Episodes

4:17

Murray Olds: Australian correspondent on Australia's...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/23

Australia's unemployment rate stayed at 4.4 percent in June, according to the latest Labour Force data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The rise in employment was driven by a 47,000-person rise in part-time work, pushing it to more than 4.6 million people, with full-time employment also rising up by 29,300 to over 10 million people. Australian correspondent Murray Olds says the Reserve Bank is looking for unemployment figures to go higher in order to cool the economy down. LISTEN ABOVESee

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4:46

Jenee Tibshraeny: NZ Herald Wellington business...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/22

Recent data has unveiled a silver lining in the latest June-quarter inflation figures. Rents rose at their slowest rate, annually, in 25 years, according to Stats NZ. The country’s stock of rents rose by 0.5 percent between the June 2025 and 2026 quarters, continuing the trend of softening increases that began towards the end of 2024. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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3:41

Andrew Curtayne: Milford Asset Management expert on...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/22

It's been an interesting time for the tech sector, with many big companies reporting their results. Tech stocks recently reversed some of the recent selloff last night - with the Nasdaq up 1.9 percent. Milford Asset Management's Andrew Curtayne explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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5:29

Dr Kerry McInerny: Auckland University AI expert on...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/22

ChatGPT maker OpenAI said its artificial intelligence system hacked into another AI company on its own - and they're launching a full investigation. AI startup Hugging Face said last week that it had detected an intrusion into its data processing systems that it suspected was caused by an AI agent acting on its own. Auckland University AI expert Dr Kerry McInerny says AI has been used to hack companies in the past, but this incident raises new concerns about cybersecurity. "My fear is that we focus

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3:43

Gary Mortimer: Queensland University of Technology...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/22

A new trend has emerged, where people are ordering fake takeaways and filling online shopping carts knowing they'll never receive a thing. This viral trend is gaining popularity, with one platform, FoodNeverComes, claiming nearly 1 million 'cravings satisfied' to date. Queensland University of Technology, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, says this gives consumers a version of the online shopping experience in order to stave off boredom. "The research shows that we're more inclined to

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3:37

Dan Mitchinson: US correspondent on US President...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/22

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday imposed 50 percent tariffs on most Canadian goods, and concerns have been raised about the economic implications. The new tariffs would exclude energy products, potash, fish and critical minerals, but would cover goods that had previously been protected from import taxes by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Canadian officials haven't said much, but there's speculation Canada could raise tariffs on their own goods

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4:45

Michael Reddell: Former Reserve Bank senior economist...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/21

The Consumers Price Index (CPI) has increased 4.1% in the 12 months to the June 2026 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. As expected, the increase can be partially contributed to the US-Iran war as the largest upwards contributor to the annual inflation rate was petrol, up 27.5%. Finance Minister Nicola Willis is labelling annual inflation hitting its highest level in more than two years a “Trump spike”. Former Reserve Bank senior economist Michael Reddell told Andrew Dickens

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7:18

Kerre Woodham: A one-off payment is not going to fix...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/21

I have so many questions around the Government bailout of Golden Bay Cement, which is not in fact manufactured in Golden Bay, but in Northland. Fletcher owns the company and they said Golden Bay Cement operates New Zealand's only domestic cement manufacturing facility at Portland near Whangarei. It supplies nearly 60% of the cement used in New Zealand – about 95% of its output is sold domestically. Golden Bay Cement took a long hard look at the account books and participated in an independent

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2:21

Mike's Minute: So many questions around the Govt's...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/20

Nicola Willis told us she did not take the decision lightly, and well, she might have said that. She's lucky it's only cost $60 million. We still don’t know the terms, but we need to. This is Golden Bay Cement, and the Government has come to their rescue. Without this help, allegedly, they would have closed. There is only one supplier in the country – this in and of itself would seem to be an issue. They produce 60% of what we use. Is the other 40% cheaper? And what of the climate mitigation issues

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41:00

Andrew Bascand & Sue Walker: Harbour Asset Management...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/19

Electricity and money go hand-in-hand. Every house needs power, and everything costs money. So how do you balance the two in the midst of a Cost of Living Crisis? And what should you keep an eye out for that might impact the number on your energy bills? Harbour Asset Management Co-CEO Andrew Bascand & Harbour Asset Management Senior Manager Sue Walker join Tim Beveridge on Smart Money. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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4:30

Todd McClay: Trade Minister on being one step closer...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/17

Trade Minister Todd McClay addressed media with his Swiss counterpart Helene Budliger Artieda at the Future of Investment and Trade (FIT) Partnership ministerial meeting in Auckland to announce trade partnership talks. Limited details are available as the talks are in the early stages. "What we've agreed today is to start a formal trade investment dialogue,"McClay told Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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3:47

Jamie Mackay: The Country host on the US launching...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/16

Meat industry leaders are disappointed with the United States’ move to initiate a safeguard investigation into lamb imports from New Zealand and Australia. The investigation, to be carried out by the US’s International Trade Commission, is expected to take up to six months to complete. The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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4:15

Paul Fuge: Consumer NZ spokesperson on the number of...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/16

Kiwis are often told to look for the best deals on power, and they're not afraid to swap providers for a better price. So who's winning and who's losing the battle for those customers? Data from the Electricity Authority shows that Genesis Energy is the biggest loser here, with the company losing a net 35,015 customers in the year to June. Nova lost 9059, Manawa 3329 and Mercury 2706. On the opposite end, Contact gained 20,577, Electric Kiwi gained 11,590 and Meridian gained 10,288. Consumer NZ Paul

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1:48

Chris Wilkinson: First Retail Group Managing Director...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/15

There's a belief sluggish retail spending is a reminder retailers need to stick to the basics. Stats NZ says core retail spending last month was only 0.4% higher year on year. Spending on clothes fell the most at 4.2% – its fourth straight decrease. First Retail Group Managing Director Chris Wilkinson told Ryan Bridge retailers have to be hungry in the market with strong retail disciplines, but he understands it's tough. He says rising costs and distribution has made things challenging for

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3:26

Jeremy Hutton: Milford Asset Management expert on the...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/15

Recent reports indicate the listed retirement sector in New Zealand has continued to struggle in 2026. Share market expectations were high in the new year, but the predicted growth has since turned flat and negative. Milford Asset Management expert Jeremy Hutton explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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5:25

Karl Puschmann: entertainment journalist on Netflix...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/15

Netflix is in talks to buy the New Zealand-founded Letterboxd for $423 million, according to new reports. Letterboxd was created by Auckland designers Matthew Buchanan and Karl von Randow, and it allows people to create profiles and log and rate their favourite movies. Entertainment journalist Karl Puschmann says Letterboxd has a reputation as a niche social network, and there's concerns about what a corporate takeover could do for it. "That sense of community around it, you feel like you're with

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3:23

Paul Spain: Gorilla Technology CEO on Australia...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/15

Australia's moving to protect local content, as it pushes through on mandatory AI standards. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised to pass legislation by early next year. The protective controls will include barring AI companies using Australian books, music, art or news to build or train AI without the creator's consent and control. Gorilla Technology CEO, Paul Spain, says he thinks music will be a particular focus. "What they're probably not going to tolerate is music that is too obvious as

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2:35

Graham Leaming: Skellerup CEO on the company lifting...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/14

Another positive sign for the economy. Kiwi manufacturer Skellerup —who makes everything from gumboots to industrial rubber products— has lifted its annual profit forecast to as much as $65 million. They credit stronger than expected US demand for the increase. CEO Graham Leaming told Mike Hosking they thought tariffs and the conflict in the Middle East might drive inflation and dampen demand in the US market, but that hasn’t materialised. He says demand remains strong, and the things they

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4:38

Cathy Hendry: Strategic Pay managing director on the...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/14

Strategic Pay’s latest Directors’ Fees Survey shows the non-executive director pay gap has narrowed to just 0.5 percent. The findings highlight a significant narrowing of the gender pay gap across New Zealand boardrooms - with women earning 5.9 percent less than their male counterparts in 2025. Strategic Pay managing director Cathy Hendry says growth in the public sector has helped move this change. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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3:15

Michael Gordon: Westpac senior economist on business...

Best of Business ·

2026/07/14

New data shows that business confidence has picked up for in the June quarter, but Middle East tensions and higher fuel prices remain a concern. The latest NZIER survey shows a net 12 percent of business owners are feeling positive - up from just 1 percent in March. Westpac senior economist Michael Gordon says things are changing day-to-day, and it's unclear where things will end up. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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