The New Zealand dollar has continued its rally, topping 86 US cents and charting a new record on a trade-weighted basis.

Finance Minister Bill English used a pre-Budget speech to say the Government will act to curb rising house prices which represent a risk to New Zealand's economic recovery.

The New Zealand dollar ran hot again yesterday, hitting another post-float high on its Trade-Weighted Index (TWI) and raising the possibility of overt Reserve Bank intervention to bring it back down.

Next month's Budget will show the Government remains on track to return to surplus in 2014/15, but Finance Minister Bill English signalled yesterday that that would not herald a loosening of the fiscal reins.

A barometer of manufacturing is continuing to point to a pick-up in employment and expansion in the sector generally.

The number of New Zealand house sales rose to a six-year high last month and prices touched a new record.

The Government remains on track to return to surplus by 2014/15 but its current "firm" control on spending will continue beyond that date.

Young people are overlooking the agricultural technology sector as a viable, well-paid career option, says Gallagher.

We can expect some scary numbers when the Treasury updates its statement on the long-term fiscal position this year, writes Brian Fallow.

Auckland's economy grew by 2.8 per cent last year, ahead of its 10-year average and powered by finance, professional services and

Join us at noon today for a live chat with Federated Farmers president Bruce Wills. You can send in your questions now.

Crucial face-to-face talks between the owners of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter and Meridian Energy resume in Wellington today, and could take the rest of the week.

Kiwi business people will have to be smart. Australia, for instance, is now facing strong competition in the hard commodities space from Africa.

Editorial: During her 11 years in power and up to the time of her death, Margaret Thatcher divided the British people as few leaders before her.

Rural communities are yet to see most of the benefits from a $500 million scheme to boost internet coverage and speeds.

If the economy ended 2012 with a reasonable head of steam up, it maintained it over the first three months of this year.

Homeowners are increasingly holding on to their properties and some would-be buyers are getting fed up with Auckland's record prices, says Quotable Value.

A Government-commissioned report into the booming Chinese tourism market finds visa processes should be streamlined to encourage travel by "low risk" high-spending visitors.

Housing valuations are the highest in seven years, prompting a slowdown in the market as some buyers hold off until prices become more affordable.

The trade-weighted index of the New Zealand dollar rose above 78 for the first time since it was floated in 1985.