Best of Business

It's been a big week for the tech sector, with Meta and Microsoft moving to post their earnings.
But it's sparked concerns about the future of AI, and whether or not another sector bubble is set to burst.
Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explained further.
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Auckland's Watercare is taking a mixed approach to funding a $15.2 billion capital investment.
This includes $4.3 billion for renewals, upgrades to prevent wastewater spills, and lifting the daily flow of drinking water from Waikato River to $300 million by 2033.
Watercare CEO Jamie Sinclair says separating from Auckland Council means the utility will need to explore new funding streams to get this through.
"We've got to go find our own debt funding, which we've been pretty successful at, I'd have to say, over the last year or so."
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Farming is powering strong small business sales growth.
A Xero Small Business Insights report reveals an 8.6% year on year increase in sales in the June quarter.
Agriculture saw a 16.3% increase, construction climbed 11%, and manufacturing rose 8.6% during the same time period.
Country Manager Bridget Snelling told Mike Hosking it is a bit of a two-speed recovery, with retail only growing by 6.4%.
She says there’s some ongoing uncertainty around fuel costs and geopolitical events which will continue to influence small businesses when it comes to hiring and investment decisions.
Plus, Snelling told Hosking, consumers are still going to be a bit circumspect with their discretionary spend heading towards the election.
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ACC’s outgoing chief executive Megan Main has defended her record at the helm of the troubled Government insurer and insisted that a new progress report shows the agency is effecting a turnaround.
Main’s last day at the helm is Friday, and her five-year contract runs to November.
NZ Herald Wellington business editor explained further.
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The US Federal Reserve is set to meet soon, and it's unclear what investors and experts can expect this time round.
It's looking likely that rates will stay on hold, but the ongoing Middle East conflict has made the market cast doubts.
Milford Asset Management's Brendan Larsen explained further.
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