Markets were also surprised by RBNZ's plans to keep hiking the official cash rate until it hit 4%.

The healthcare manufacturer generated $1.68 billion in annual revenue, reaping a net profit of $376.9 million.

Government investment is seen as the starting point to creating a viable coastal shipping sector.

Meridian Energy dropped 3.5% to $4.44, and Contact Energy slipped 1.5% to $7.67.

Competing proposals could mean the board can extract top dollar from the interested bidders. 

Australian private equity firm, BGH Capital and existing Pushpay shareholder, Sixth Street Partners, are making a bid to buy the entire company. 

New Zealand's fourth-largest port had a challenging six months with its results hit by supply chain disruption and labour issues.

The company expects next year’s operating profit to the range of $27m and $32m.

Maxigesic maker AFT Pharmaceuticals says it will start paying dividends next year.

Kiwi Property will move some or all its office properties into a standalone specialist fund and seek third-party investors for both it and its mixed-use centres to help fund development.

The campervan rental business has asked KPMG to shop its managed tour division to possible buyers. 

Spark moves to block Genesis from expanding its challenger brand.

Brian Roche remembers Brian Gaynor as "sorta scary and impressive at the same time – a real 'conscience' of what was right and fair." 

The NZ market was one of the few climbing markets as investors in other parts of the world worried about the risk of a global recession.

At his funeral in Auckland, family, friends and colleagues of Brian Gaynor recalled a passionate man who had the confidence and courage to back his sometimes controversial opinions.

Oceania Healthcare reports a solid lift in underlying full-year earnings. 

The company needs to grow customer spending and find new avenues for growth. 

Ryman's gearing eased to 42.6% at March 31 from 44.5% in September.

In the US, Target's earnings results exacerbated some recession fears.

Financial markets got information on the NZ budget via the Wall Street Journal an hour earlier than the embargoed publication time.

The government would establish the fund with private banks and it would be a minority shareholder, essentially acting as a cornerstone investor.

Infratil's gearing is just 9.4% and it has about $1.67b of cash and bank facilities available.

In a reshuffle of roles at Heartland Bank, head of Westpac Life's Leanne Lazarus takes over as CEO and Chris Flood becomes deputy CEO.

The board opted to not pay an interim dividend given the “early stage” of Sanford’s recovery.