Best of Business

Kiwi company Allbirds has announced a new direction and it's drawn questions from experts.
After years of losses, the former sustainable shoe company is transitioning to AI after selling all its assets this month.
It's revised its moniker to NewBirds AI - seeing share values surging up to 700 percent.
NZ Herald senior business writer Chris Keall says the tech and business-based press has raised concerns about what this could do for the company.
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The US earnings season is in full swing, with many leading companies posting their results.
The Middle East conflict is looming over this year's data and experts have raised concerns.
Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explained further.
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Airlines are now treating the fuel crisis as a long term issue.
The conflict in Iran, which has closed the Strait of Hormuz, has forced airfare rises and route cuts.
Board of Airline Representatives NZ Executive Director, Cath O'Brien, says airlines have to look well ahead.
"At the moment, we're planning for the season that runs October to March. As we plan ahead, we have to plan networks on a totally changed basis of cost. And I think that's the real challenge."
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The Government’s looking at ways to give businesses long-term certainty about fuel.
Latest figures show we have 56 days of petrol, 45 of diesel, and 47 of jet fuel either here or en-route.
Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones told Mike Hosking officials are considering what additional information they can release.
He says the real plague is uncertainty, and it's not a bad idea to further mend the uncertainty in the business community.
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There’s renewed hope in the Kiwi start-up scene with a surge of investment in 2025.
New data shows the number of deals rose 14%, with total investment surging 61% to $754 million.
Fintech and health-tech saw strong gains, while climate and clean-tech dropped.
Angel Association Chief executive Bridget Unsworth told Mike Hosking 47 companies were funded, compared to 51 in 2023.
She says more money going into fewer deals is an exciting sign of the start-up ecosystem maturing.
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