New Zealand Financial News

economic weakness overwhelmed the market’s optimism surrounding interest-rate cuts. Shares in Japan, South Korea and Australia dropped. The S&P 500 fell 0.8% Thursday, extending a drop from the prior session and placing the benchmark on track for its largest weekly decline since April.

Scientists are examining if a 5-meter (16-foot) whale corpse found on New Zealand's South Island is the remains of the elusive spade-toothed whale. Only six specimens of this species have been documented since the 1800s, and no live sightings have ever been reported. Scientists have an unparalleled opportunity to investigate this enigmatic creature due to the carcass, as per the reports of MSN. The Department of Conservation (DOC) of New Zealand's Hannah Hendriks, a technical advisor, emphasized the significance of this discovery. Studying the whale's food, environment, and any dangers to its existence may be gained through research. The spade-toothed whale is particularly rare. As per the reports of MSN, Gabe Davies, DOC Coastal Otago Operations Manager, described it as «the most poorly known large mammalian species of modern times.»

Jack Black announced he’s cancelling the rest of the Tenacious D world tour after his bandmate Kyle Gass made a joke about the failed assassination of Donald Trump that left him “blindsided.”

Gold hit a record and bonds rallied on Wednesday as markets prepared for global interest rates to fall, while stocks in Taiwan slipped after U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump sounded lukewarm in his commitment to the island's defence. The S&P 500 scaled record highs overnight and futures were steady in Asia. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was flat and Japan's Nikkei rose 0.1%.

rarest whale washed up on a South Island beach in New Zealand, potentially providing scientists a unique chance to study the mysterious spade-toothed whale. The five-meter-long beaked whale, identified by its colour patterns and distinctive skull, beak, and teeth, was found on an Otago beach earlier this month, news agency Associated Press reported quoting New Zealand's conservation agency. «This is going to lead to some amazing science and world-first information,» said Hannah Hendriks, marine technical adviser for the Department of Conservation. The spade-toothed whale has never before been seen alive and remains a mystery in many aspects, including its population, diet, and habitat in the vast southern Pacific Ocean. If confirmed, this specimen would be the first available for scientific dissection, enabling researchers to map its relationship to the few others of its kind, understand its diet, and potentially discover its habitat. Previous spade-toothed whales found on New Zealand's North Island were buried before DNA testing could verify their species, thwarting scientific study.

dollar was on the front foot on Wednesday having rebounded from a three-week low after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell struck a cautious tone on how soon interest rate cuts would come. The New Zealand dollar edged higher ahead of the central bank's rate decision, with traders on alert for any signals on the timing for policy easing.

Greece has introduced a new law allowing certain private-sector workers to enforce a six-day workweek. Effective July 1, this measure aims to support the country's aging workforce and provide additional income for workers, while ensuring respect for workers' rights. The law targets specific industrial and manufacturing sectors, particularly businesses operating continuous shifts 24/7, and will be applied only in exceptional circumstances, such as an unexpectedly increased workload. Labor unions, advocating for better working conditions, have strongly opposed the move, sparking heated debates and protests. Greece already has the longest average workweek in the European Union, and it remains uncertain whether this extension will enhance productivity.

US shares touched a fresh peak as economic data supported the case for Federal Reserve rate cuts. A gauge for equities in the region gained for a fifth straight session as Japan’s Topix hit a record intraday high and shares in South Korea and Australia advanced. The S&P rose 0.5% and the Nasdaq climbed 0.9% to both set new highs Wednesday in a shortened session ahead of a US holiday. Contracts for US equities were steady in early Asian trading.

NATO alliance and friendly countries across the world, in particular those in the Indo-Pacific region, the White House said on Monday, on the eve of the crucial NATO summit here. Leaders from 38 different countries have gathered in Washington for a historic summit to mark the 75th anniversary of the first NATO summit. This includes the leaders of all NATO allies as well as NATO partners, including Ukraine, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea. «The president has also strongly encouraged greater partnerships between the NATO alliance and friendly nations around the world, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, as you will see. The president knows that the global threats and challenges that we all face, including from authoritarian actors and terrorist organisations, are inextricably linked,» John Kirby, White House National Security Communications Advisor, told reporters at a news conference here. «He has also encouraged our NATO allies to join him in making significant investments in our mutual defence and deterrence capabilities. When the Biden-Harris administration took office, only nine NATO allies were spending at least 2 per cent of their gross domestic product on defence — 2 per cent was the Wales pledge,» he said.

Tour de France is like a three-week festival, with the cyclists going through an endurance run over a period of 21 days. Tour de France 2024 has already started on June 29 and will continue until July 21, when top cyclists from all across the globe will finish their course in Nice, France, which is a slight change from the traditional Paris finish.

Global Gender Gap Index by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Pakistan finds itself near the bottom of the list, with only Sudan ranked lower among 146 nations surveyed. This marks a further decline from its 142nd position last year, reflecting a worsening situation for women in the country, Dawn reported. Women's rights activists have issued impassioned pleas for both state and societal commitment to address gender disparities effectively. They emphasise the need to redefine the roles prescribed to women by Pakistsociety and the government. The annual index evaluates gender parity across four critical dimensions: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. Leading nations in gender parity include Iceland, Finland, Norway, New Zealand, and Sweden, as reported by Dawn.

tech stocks lifted US and global shares to new highs ahead of inflation data due later Thursday. Equities in Japan and Australia and futures for Hong Kong stocks all rose, echoing the bullish pulse on Wall Street on Wednesday that led the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 each more than 1% higher to records. The S&P 500 has advanced in each of the past seven sessions, its longest winning streak since November, helping propel a gauge of global equities to a record.

Papua New Guinea’s opposition leader has urged the country’s premier Tuesday to fire the petroleum minister who is stepping down from office as he faces alleged domestic assault charges in Australia instead

PTI quoted an ICC board member as saying.Pakistan will host the ICC event from 19 February to 9 March, while 10 March has been kept as a reserve day for the final ICC event.With details pouring in, India has been placed in Group A with Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, while Australia, South Africa, England, and Afghanistan are in Group B.Earlier, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi – invited to watch the T20 World Cup final in Barbados – had submitted a 15-match schedule with all of India's games kept in Lahore for security and logistical reasons, added the PTI report."The PCB has submitted the draft of the 15-match ICC Champions Trophy. Seven games in Lahore, three in Karachi and five in Rawalpindi," PTI's ICC source said."The opening match will be held in Karachi with two semifinals in Karachi and Rawalpindi, final in Lahore.

New Zealand’s tax authority revealed on Thursday that it is targeting individuals actively trading crypto who have not reported their income from these transactions in tax filings.

New Zealand's housing minister says the country will drastically ease restrictions on land use in a bid to “flood the market” with land for homes and override the powers of local councils to curb development

Foreign banks have emerged as the largest investors in India’s trillion dollar sovereign bond market in recent weeks, attracted by the nation’s economic prospects and a stable currency. They’ve bought more than 500 billion rupees ($6 billion) of debt since June 1, according to data from the Clearing Corp. of India. That far exceeds about 200 billion rupees of net inflows into index-eligible bonds in the period, and suggests global banks that typically buy as clients’ custodians have also been snapping them up for their own accounts.

Neil Gaiman, one of the shining stars of the literary world, best known for modern-day classics such as ‘Good Omens’, ‘The Sandman’, ‘Coraline’ etc has been charged with sexual assault. Two women had accused the eminent author of rape. Gaiman had denied the allegations, claiming that all their encounters were consensual. He is currently being investigated by the New Zealand police. According to British tabloid Tortoise Media, the allegations span two decades. The first woman, a 23-year-old named Scarlett, claimed that she was assaulted by Gaiman at his residence in Australia in 2022. She was employed as a nanny to his son.

Canada is a highly preferred migration destination worldwide, according to recent data. The North American country has become the world's most sought-after immigration destination after more than 1.5 million people looked for information on moving there online in the last year. The stunning scenery and good standard of living in Canada are major factors in this fascination, as per the reports in The New York Post.

government's inspection of a Som Group distillery said child labourers, some aged between 13 and 17, were made to fill and pack liquor bottles and worked long hours. Police are investigating the use of child labour at the distillery in Madhya Pradesh state after the federal government's National Commission for Protection of Child Rights said last month it had found 58 children working illegally at the factory. The commission released photos of some with hands showing chemical burns and said some children were transported in school buses for factory work.

₹1-2 crore a season – from established tournaments such as Legends League Cricket (LLC), which has now completed four seasons across formats. Gautam Gambhir, who was paid ₹2.8 crore in his last IPL season, received a ₹3.75 crore package from LLC. Irfan Pathan earned ₹50 lakh in his last IPL season and ₹1.65 crore in LLC.