Best of Business

The ongoing uncertainty about the Middle East conflict is impacting the markets, but there's some hope.
Initial ceasefire talk saw things pick up, but enthusiasm took a dive after the weekend.
Milford Asset Management's Remy Morgan explained further.
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Michael Hill International is set to trial customisable engagement rings across some of its stores.
The popularity of its TenSevenSeven brand has highlighted the increasing popularity of custom-made jewellery - and the company's looking to utilise that as part of a restructure.
Michael Hill CEO Jonathan Waecker says more people want to build something special and unique - and they want to create that experience.
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The latest NZIER Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion has revealed business confidence has taken a hit for the March quarter.
Only a net 1 percent of firms expect better general economic conditions over the coming months on a seasonally adjusted basis.
EMA Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald says people were expecting the economy to get better - and this conflict put an economic 'handbrake' on recovery.
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Microsoft has today announced it will double its existing AI and digital skilling commitment in New Zealand, with a plan to train up over 200,000 Kiwis by 2028.
The company has observed this training will help many businesses, with survey data showing 59 percent of Kiwi business leaders say productivity must increase.
Microsoft's national chief technology officer, Sarah Carney, says upskilling will help unlock more opportunities for New Zealand's future.
"Skilling is how you unlock that. Teach people how to use the tools and set them free."
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Inflation's already looking vulnerable, with the reality of worse economic blows still to come.
Figures out today showed annual CPI unexpectedly held at 3.1 in this year's first three months, confounding expectations it would fall as low as 2.8.
Economist Cameron Bagrie says the rate reflects what was happening to prices, just as the cost of fuel began to climb, when the Iran war closed the Strait of Hormuz.
He says we'll get an inflationary hit in the June quarter, and a better starting position would have been preferable.
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