The New Zealand dollar has advanced ahead of the Reserve Bank's official cash rate announcement this morning.

New Zealand's nascent equity crowdfunding market may be heading for a shakeout as an eighth platform, Property Mogul, seeks regulatory clearance to start operations.

Global equity markets gained and commodity markets rallied overnight, triggered in part by a late surge in Chinese equities.

The mortgage rate war is heating up ahead of a widely tipped rates cut on Thursday, with ASB now matching the 4.35pc rate BNZ unveiled last week.

Traders have put 78 per cent odds of Reserve Bank governor Graeme Wheeler cutting the official cash rate.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi was asked last week whether his institution should consider revising its 2 per cent inflation target.

The NZ dollar declined after US labour market data left open the possibility of US interest rate hikes this month.

Perpetual Trust, formerly owned by Pyne Gould Corporation, was C+M's trustee, tasked with protecting the interest of investors.

Will they or won't they is the question that has been on investors' minds as they try to guess when the US Federal Reserve will raise official rates.

China's move doesn't have to spark rivalry, Japanese visitor tells Herald political editor Audrey Young.

New Zealand trusts associated with a former Russian billionaire once known as "Putin's banker" are now subject to a worldwide freezing order by a London court.

The Sensible Sentencing Trust says the early release of a fraudster sets a dangerous precedent on how white collar criminals are punished.

Banks appear to have come to the party for NZ farmers needing support during the dairy downturn.

US economic data has kept alive expectations the Federal Reserve may hike interest rates this month.

The dollar fell after weak Chinese factory data yesterday raised concerns about a slowdown in Asia's largest economy.

A tiny surplus has been paid to some investors in one of Allan Hubbard's failed investment vehicles.

The U.S. Justice Department is finalising agreements with Swiss banks that may have helped Americans evade taxes.

Martin Hutchin sold investment properties in Invercargill and Huntly and was described as a "risk to the community".

Liam Dann writes: Inflation is not dead and there seems no doubt market volatility and the slowdown in China were top of mind for many.

The USD strengthened after Fed Reserve officials signalled the US central bank is on track for a potential rate hike next month.

If you think education is "going to the dogs" then you really ought to get down to a local school and take a look at how they're teaching.

Chief executive Brian Roche said NZ Post starts $30m behind each year from the "structural decline" of the mail business.

The dollar edged up with gains limited by a stronger US dollar buoyed by better economic data.

The world's largest bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, is stepping up its international expansion to offset China's slowing economic growth, according to former chief executive Yang Kaisheng.

It follows a period of volatile trading as investor confidence about weakness in China abated.

Rod Petricevic is serving a 6 years and 10 months sentence for misleading investors and using company funds to buy a luxury boat.

The New Zealand dollar slumped to its lowest level in six years as equities sank amid concerns about global growth.

A group of mostly Nelson investors face losing $2m after the collapse of a Colombian gold mining scheme.