Villa Maria has been named one of the most admired wine brands in the world for the third year in a row. This year’s placing of fourth is a jump of four places from eighth. Previous winners have included Australia’s Penfolds in 2016 and this year it is Spain’s Torres, which also won the accolade in 2015.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/villa-maria-jumps-fourth-worlds-most-admired-wine-brand-ng-p-201416

Surging house sales in March, with listings in Auckland leading the charge, provided some respite to the tight housing market. According to www.realestate.co.nz, new listings nationally rose 10.8% to more than 13,000 in March compared with March last year, and were nearly 1300 higher than in February, the first time since 2014 that March listings have been higher than February’s.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/new-listings-houses-sale-surged-march-jr-p-201438

It’s either a complete meltdown or Gareth Morgan’s cunning plan. The Opportunities Party leader, economist, fund manager, and a non-cat person is not happy with anyone who thinks there might be a problem with putting a tax on tourists, so as to pay for things such as cleaning up after "freedom campers" who are a bit too free with their human waste.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/political-week-gareth-morgans-cunning-plan-hit-run-turns-runny

Tom Kelley is a man who needs little introduction to those in the know about technological advancements and innovation. His company, Ideo, which he leads with his brother David, is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading production design consultancies.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/mob-tom-kelley

Air New Zealand staged a strong finish to the March quarter after reporting strong operating statistics. The airline’s shares rose 7% last week, taking its March quarter gain to nearly 17%.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/air-new-zealand-shares-rebound-a2-milk-stars-jr-p-201437

Oceania Healthcare’s boss says the company’s emphasis on aged care and stable income from the government sets it apart from existing listed operators. New Zealand’s third-largest residential aged care provider and sixth largest retirement village operator has launched an initial public offer to raise $200 million and dual list on the New Zealand and Australian stock exchanges.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/why-does-oceania-healthcare-want-list-cs-p-201405

Research on video fingerprinting for border control scanning has been given a $25,000 funding boost to help develop a prototype handheld device. Victoria University scientist Dr Nick Monahan has been awarded a grant from the KiwiNet Emerging Innovator Fund, which supports innovative ideas from scientists.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/funding-boost-video-fingerprinting-research-border-control-fr-p-201406

No longer is Brexit just a public statement or dream of 51.9% of the UK public. On March 29, the British government made the departure real by invoking article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to leave the EU.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/brexit-has-begun-what-comes-next-ns-p-201361

A new data privacy regime adopted by the EU will have consequences for companies around the world and will set a template for New Zealand’s current review.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/opinion-tighter-data-privacy-rules-are-just-around-corner-p-201329

On a late June afternoon in Edinburgh last year investors gathered at the elegant Merchants Hall for an annual general meeting.

Weather records indicate it was a Scottish summer day, sunny but cool with drizzle on the way. The venue was an icon of the city’s establishment – headquarters of the venerable Company of Merchants – and the meeting was for shareholders in an $8 billion investment trust established more than 100 years ago.

Read more ($): https://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/hunters-corner-signs-sea-change-sharemarket