Labour’s presumptive deputy leader, Jacinda Ardern, has indicated she will keep the shadow children’s portfolio and will not put her hand up to take over health.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/jacinda-doesn’t-want-health-portfolio-jw-p-200165

Genesis Energy’s first-half results came in below analysts’ expectations and the electricity and gas company has effectively downgraded its forecast for the full year.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/genesis-downgrades-after-disappointing-first-half-jr-p-200116

US President Donald Trump took his first major step toward constructing a 2018 federal budget proposal, asking federal agencies to draft plans to lift military spending by $US54 billion while cutting other federal agencies by the same amount.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/trumps-beltway-defence-spending-gets-boost-while-mnuchin-talks-down-trade-war-ns-p-200111

New Zealand’s only cross-sector technology event, MobileTech, will be looking at autonomous or driverless vehicle technology and its likely effects this year.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/car-torque-autonomous-vehicles-focus-mobiletech-2017

US-style negative election campaigning is likely to feature in this year’s general election even though Kiwis are likely to be uncomfortable with them, Otago University professor Andrew Geddis says.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/us-style-negative-election-campaigning-likely-despite-kiwi-distaste-lawyer-says-fr-200090

Prime Minister Bill English’s comments on businesses not being able to hire young Kiwis because they can’t pass a drugs test are dead on, according to Kiwi employers.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/employers-back-pms-comments-drugs-stopping-young-people-getting-jobs-jw-p-200102

Law firm MinterEllisonRuddWatts has invested $2 million in a joint venture exploring the potential use of artificial intelligence (AI) for legal services.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/minter-ellison-invests-2m-artificial-intelligence-technology-replace-lawyers-ck-p-200105

Shares in listed Veritas Investments have rallied significantly in today’s trading after the food and beverage investor returned to the black in the first half and drew a line under its troubled investment in upmarket Nosh supermarkets.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/veritas-shares-rise-profitable-half-year-debt-plan-bank-fr-p-200109

US President Donald Trump’s state-of-the-union speech tomorrow will probably mean it will be a busy day for currency traders.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/currency-talk-what-trump’s-state-union-speech-will-mean-kiwi-jw-p-200076

Apple exporter Scales Corporation [NZX:SCL] produced its highest full-year profit yet but warns macroeconomic conditions and climate are risks to future earnings.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/scales-profit-highest-yet-warns-wont-continue-cs-p-200091