Brian Fallow asks :Does the electricity market entrench the ripping off of consumers? Would replacing it with a single buyer model address the issue of energy hardship among some households?"

Travelling the world as a New Zealand businessperson can be a heartening exercise, says Mark Lowndes.

Anyone who has followed progress on this site (or lack of it) probably has good cause for remaining sceptical, at least until the diggers turn up, writes Liam Dann.

Tempted to buy Nurofen? Don't be. Ibuprofen, the exact same active ingredient, costs less than half. It just doesn't have the brand recognition.

Migration is a big deal in the New Zealand economy, writes Brian Fallow. In such a small, open and mobile country changes in the net flow of permanent and long-term migrants are a major influence on the economic cycle.

The global financial crisis is far from over and the underlying problems that gave rise to it remain unsolved, says Lord King.

At the end of a long, hot silly season, the corporate reporting season - which kicks off this week - comes as welcome relief for followers of business news.

The economic benefits from the Trans Pacific Partnership, if it eventuates, are seriously overstated and may well be outweighed by the costs, writes Brian Fallow.

The more energy efficient your business, the lower your energy spend. Reduced cost, improved bottom line. It's so obvious, writes Greg Visser.

The Reserve Bank is announcing its OCR decision this morning. Brian Fallow looks at whether interest rates need to rise as high as they did in the last cycle.

The plain fact is that in industry after industry, Australians have a longer stride, writes Brian Fallow. As long as that remains true, they will outpace us and the gap in incomes and living standards will widen.

Asked about the KiwiSaver myths he has heard most often, Mercer's NZ managing director Martin Lewington comes up with five off the top of his head.

The economic omens for New Zealand this year are good.

John Key will probably get in a few more rounds of golf in Maui before he returns to New Zealand to get his election year planning under way in earnest.

I'm considering signing my kids up for KiwiSaver, in part to get the $1000 kickstart but will also make regular contributions.

Well, this was supposed to be the quirky, light-hearted year-ender column, full of whimsical reflections on the big business events of 2013.

So should we look on the TPP with hope or dread? Impossible to say until we know what "it" is, writes Brian Fallow. It doesn't help that these meetings are conducted with all the secrecy of a papal election.

Borrowers need to be aware that current market pricing implies a rise in interest rates of around 2 percentage points over the next two years, writes Brian Fallow.

If there's any compromises that have to be made to persuade native birds to become urbanised, it's surely time for humans to do the bending, writes Brian Rudman.

Trade, trade facilitation, productive investment and movement of labour will be on the agenda and NZ will be able to play a constructive role, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Liam Dann considers the extremely difficult diplomatic position NZ could face this century as China grows in economic strength and asserts its political muscle.

Air New Zealand has frequently been a political football for politicians of all stripes.

There's never been a better time to be a journalist or a news junkie, writes Liam Dann.

'Not really such a great idea" is senior actuary Geoff Rashbrooke's verdict on Peter Dunne's Flexi-Super proposal. writes Brian Fallow.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown made a reasonable fist of fronting up to key Auckland businesspeople yesterday at the Herald's annual Project Auckland luncheon.

I read your interesting recent article on the Welcome Home Loan and believe it might apply to our returning daughter

It may be six months or so before the Reserve Bank begins to raise the official cash rate, but monetary tightening is already under way, writes Brian Fallow.

The praise which Finance Minister Bill English heaped on the NZ Super on its 10th anniversary last week has a hollow ring to it, writes Brian Fallow.