Spark New Zealand is selling 75 percent of its data centre business for about half a billion dollars.

Australian-owned Pacific Equity Partners is taking the controlling share of the $705-million-dollar business.

Spark will move its data centre assets and operations into a new stand-alone company.

Devon Funds Head of Retail Greg Smith explains what this could mean for the business.

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The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts. 

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A growing number of businesses are reporting losses and economists have voiced concerns.

IRD data shows that in the 2023 tax year, 107,360 companies out of 475,010 reported a current loss.

Another 40,670 were carrying a loss over from a previous tax year.

Infometrics Chief Forecaster Gareth Kiernan says these figures are consistent with the current deterioration of the economy.

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The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts. 

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There's a view businesses have been taken by surprise by surging gas prices. 

Energy management company Optima and Business NZ's joint survey reveals gas prices have risen by more than 100% on average in the past five years. 

Nearly half report it's led to them reducing operations, increased prices, or cutting staff. 

Business NZ Energy Council Executive Director Tina Schirr told Mike Hosking they didn't know how quickly supply would dwindle. 

She says they knew there'd be moderate reduction over the next few years, but didn't think it'd be this steep over the last two years. 

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The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts. 

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The next US Consumer Price Inflation report will be out this week, and economists are speculating about what this could mean going forward.

Markets are keeping an eye on things, as inflation continues to be an issue in the US.

Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly explains further.

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The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts. 

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Most New Zealanders consider themselves only “average” with money. 

In fact, a new study from Partners Life finds less than a quarter of New Zealanders rate their financial knowledge as "excellent".

Nearly 60 percent find it tough to pay monthly expenses, and just over half reported stress or losing sleep due to money concerns. 

At the same time, many are reportedly using credit and afterpay services to make ends meet.

How do we improve financial literacy? What can we put into practice now?

Banqer CEO Simon Brown joins Tim Beveridge for Smart Money... 

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The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts. 

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Amid the soaring cost of everything from butter and cheese to rates and insurance, tips on how to trim your budget abound. But once that budget's cut to the quick, the only alternative is to earn more.

While the need for side hustles can be controversial, Tracy Hemingway – who used them to escape $94,000 of debt and buy her first home in just four years – says they can serve a purpose short term. Now a financial advisor and mortgage broker known as the Debt Free Diva, Tracy joins Nadine Higgins to talk about her side hustle experience and share tips for those wanting to bring in some extra cash.

If you have a question you want answered, or a financial story to share, get in touch at [email protected] 

The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts. 

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Anduril has a plan to protect Western waters, involving extra-large autonomous submarines and torpedoes. Go inside the US$30.5b defense hardware company’s headquarters in California to meet the Australian engineer leading its expanding underwater division.

The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts. 

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Two new seasonal visas have been unveiled, allowing the likes of rural contractors or chairlift operators to return for up to three years or stay for up to seven months.

It follows the unemployment rate reaching a five-year high of 5.2-percent. 

Malcolm Pacific Immigration Director David Cooper told Mike Hosking it's hard to get New Zealanders into domestic seasonal work.

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The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts. 

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Cost of living and the economy remains top of the agenda for National.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s already touting his leadership as one that’s a “clear choice” for New Zealanders at next year’s election, saying the government “inherited a mess and sorting it out”.

However, commentators have been quick to out the issues facing National ahead of the campaign – writing that Luxon is “getting worried” and that National is in a “mess”.

So, as the battle lines start getting drawn in the Beehive, what’s ahead of politicians?

Today on The Front Page, outgoing Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls joins us to discuss the past week in politics, and what could lie ahead.

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025 has been regarded as a challenging year for economic forecasting, with experts stumped about what decisions to make.

Traditional indicators have been regarded as contradictory, but one expert's developed a workaround.

Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explains further.

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The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.