Dairy cooperative Fonterra has reported a strong 50 percent increase in its first-half profit, doubled its first-half dividend and announced plans for an $800 million return to shareholders.
The Reserve Bank and the Minister of Finance have been attacked over monetary policy and inflation by the free market think tank, the New Zealand Initiative.
Markets in Europe and the US fell sharply as as investors worry about how troubled Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse will handle the fallout from US bank failures.
The White House backed legislation introduced by a dozen senators to give new powers to ban TikTok and other foreign-based technologies if they pose national security threats.