More franchisees who claim to have been duped into buying dud businesses are backing calls for the $20 billion franchising industry to be regulated. Some franchisees of the 42-store Guthrie Bowron home decorating chain have told NBR they want the law strengthened, following the failure of at least three of the chain’s stores in the past three years.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/more-franchisees-claim-have-been-duped-ks-199914

Sky TV and Vodafone face a long road if they appeal the Commerce Commission’s denial of clearance for their merger, says a competition law specialist. “They’ll have to think through whether they want to invest more time and money into the process,” says Neil Anderson of Chapman Tripp.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/appeal-road-long-one-skodafone-th-p-199959

Polls close tomorrow at 7pm for what has been one of the quietest by-elections in New Zealand’s political history. Mt Albert voters will elect a new MP – well, “new” is not quite the right word given that both the main candidates are already list MPs.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/mt-albert-election-barring-solid-tactical-vote-ardern-looks-home-and-hosed-0

Trade Me says it has learnt not to take its general marketplace business for granted although continued investment in it will be lower than in recent years.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/trade-me-continue-invest-its-general-marketplace-jr-p-199951

Accounting software company MYOB is adding online customers at an accelerating rate although its online numbers still lag those of its arch rival, Xero, by a factor of nearly three.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/myobs-online-customer-growth-accelerates-jr-p-199950

An overused African proverb says, “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled.” Investors were rushing in and out of food stocks after news leaked of a $US143 billion bid by Kraft Heinz for Unilever last Friday, only for it to be withdrawn before business started the new week on Monday.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/editors-insight-mr-hong-kongs-fall-mega-food-failure-and-trumps-sweden

Summerset Group is concentrating on making sure its strong progress does not tip the scales toward financial and execution risk.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/summerset-balancing-growth-financial-risk-cs-p-199913

An unusually wet spring has helped set many dairy farmers up for better milk production conditions in the typically dry summer months.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/dairy-farmers-counting-their-blessings-jw-p-199915

NZ Shareholders Association chairman John Hawkins says Prime Minister Bill English criticising the 23% pay increase given to NZ Superannuation Fund boss Adrian Orr was “simply an example of a shareholder exercising their right to provide input."

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/pm-right-speak-out-nz-super-fund-ceo-pay-shareholders-group-says-fr-p-199921

If Air New Zealand’s management can keep a tight rein over operations, it can guide itself better through headwinds, analysts say.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/air-nz-needs-keep-tighter-grip-operations-say-analysts-cs-p-199923