It is unfortunate that some Government sloppiness about business relationships has clouded the coverage of John Key's trip to China, writes Liam Dann.

Presidential invitation a sign that China sees NZ not just as a trading partner but as a 'member of the family', writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Dairy pervades the economy and the cultural landscape - our obsession with flat whites, free milk in schools and even our political scandals, as witnessed last week.

A chance meeting with a Filipino woman buying a $6 pig's head at the Mad Butcher got me thinking about less-than-popular cuts such as pork belly.

Exceltium Corporate & Public Affairs owner Matthew Hooton is crowing from the rooftops after the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust won a victory against the body that decides its ratepayer funding.

Pacific Edge has had a rollercoaster of a ride this week after receiving a please explain notice from the stock exchange about its recent share price decline and then an index notice to....

Rate rises can seem a bit baffling, but the formula is pretty simple and the Reserve Bank has seldom been more explicit, writes NZ Herald business editor Liam Dann.

This OCR hike is just the start of the cycle, says Herald economics editor Brian Fallow.

Australia's Future of Financial Advice legislation was intended to create a conflict-free zone.

From a Chinese perspective it makes perfect sense. After more than 20 years of rapid export-led growth it is time to fine-tune the economy, writes Liam Dann.

The strife between Russia and the Ukraine has resulted in a tough week for European stock markets but the NZ bourse has taken no notice of the situation and hit new highs, writes Tamsyn Parker.

Many large players pitched for the Kiwi waste business, but Beijing Capital rolled in with a $950 million cheque, and the deal was done, writes Dita De Boni.

If the issue of inequality and poverty is to loom large in this election year there are a couple of cherished beliefs on both sides of politics that need to surrender to evidence, writes Brian Fallow.

There is a huge amount riding on just how the West deals with Putin's incursion, with the Ukraine merely a pawn in the Russian president's geopolitical chess game, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

The short answer is yes, KiwiSaver is taxed. But taxation isn't the only difference between saving through KiwiSaver and the cash-deposit options.

The economy is not suddenly perfect just because the economic cycle has turned for the better, writes Liam Dann. There is still serious work to be done,

Liam Dann asks: "Is the Government decision to sell as little as 30 per cent of Genesis a back down or just pragmatism? That probably depends exactly where you sit on the political divide."

How easy it is to access KiwiSaver funds on financial hardship grounds?

It might be worth $23 billion because it's the new app the cool kids are using but I can confirm WhatsApp has already lost some of its street cred, writes Liam Dann. I've signed up.

While the sharemarket has been overloaded with a raft of company financial reports this week, the fixed interest market has had a flurry of its own announcements.

Brian Fallow asks :Does the electricity market entrench the ripping off of consumers? Would replacing it with a single buyer model address the issue of energy hardship among some households?"

Travelling the world as a New Zealand businessperson can be a heartening exercise, says Mark Lowndes.

Anyone who has followed progress on this site (or lack of it) probably has good cause for remaining sceptical, at least until the diggers turn up, writes Liam Dann.

Tempted to buy Nurofen? Don't be. Ibuprofen, the exact same active ingredient, costs less than half. It just doesn't have the brand recognition.

Migration is a big deal in the New Zealand economy, writes Brian Fallow. In such a small, open and mobile country changes in the net flow of permanent and long-term migrants are a major influence on the economic cycle.

The global financial crisis is far from over and the underlying problems that gave rise to it remain unsolved, says Lord King.

At the end of a long, hot silly season, the corporate reporting season - which kicks off this week - comes as welcome relief for followers of business news.