Mighty River Power shares will cost $2.50 each, a price the Government says was hit by Labour and the Green's announcement of a controversial power policy.

A decision granting a company permission to mine beneath the eastern part of Waihi has left those on the other side of town worried they could be next, a residents group says.

Prime Minister John Key spoke to Fran O'Sullivan about Chinese investor interest in New Zealand following his official visit to China.

Consent has been granted for an underground gold mine under a residential part of Waihi, with a Green MP saying those affected will be devastated by the decision.

The controversial Labour-Greens electricity market policy which has knocked 6 per cent off the value of Contact Energy has probably reduced the price the Government will get for Mighty River Power.

An flight attendant claiming she suffered sexual comments from a drunk passenger and bullying by managers has failed in a personal grievance claim against Air NZ.

Nick McDonald on a few things to consider before investing in Mighty River shares.

The past few years have seen some successful floats in New Zealand - notably Summerset, Trade Me and the Fonterra Shareholders' Fund.

A major oil and gas conference starting today will hear from a former United States prosecutor selected by the Obama Administration to beef up offshore drilling rules.

The political machinations around the electricity sector have definitely added an element of higher risk to the Mighty River Power float making it even harder for retail investors to make a call on buying into the soon-to-be-listed power company.

So far less than 10 per cent of those who bought into the Mighty River Power offer have pulled out as a result of the Labour/Greens electricity market overhaul proposal.

Half of those who intended to invest in Mighty River Power have changed their minds or are reconsidering, according to a Shareholders Association poll.

Both opposition parties will be hoping enough potential investors turn off the pending float so they can declare it a disaster, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Labour says its plan to bring down power prices is affordable despite losing out on state-owned power company dividends.

Uncertainty created by the Labour Party and Greens' plans for the electricity market helped drive the share prices of the main NZX-listed power generators sharply down yesterday.

Woodside Petroleum is confident of meeting its full-year targets as it posts a sharp jump in quarterly production and starts exploration work in Burma.

The Government says it won't be able to say how many people have applied to buy shares in Mighty River Power until after the offer period has closed.

The proof will be in the pudding for the Government next week as the Mighty River Power share offer officially opens to the public on Monday. It's hard to know how many of the 440,000 people who pre-registered will buy shares.

Starbucks NZ owner Restaurant Brands says it isn't pulling the plug on the brand, but would sell for the right price.