Birth woes
OPINION: What does the birth rate in China have to do with stock trading? Just ask a2 Milk Company.
BNZ senior economist Craig Ebert says he doubts the crisis on the Chinese sharemarket will trigger a wholesale collapse of the Chinese economy.
But he says there could problems if the present situation continues long term. Ebert says the Chinese sharemarket rose quickly earlier in the year and has now fallen back to what it was.
"In many ways it's a healthy correction, but we are watching to see if it has any ramifications and any effect on the wider Asian region. We have noticed that it's starting to affect some of the other Asian equity markets, dragging them down and knocking confidence. But it is still a moot point as to how economically important this is," he told Rural News.
Ebert says the boom on the Chinese sharemarket was caused by officials promoting it, prompting a "collective rush to the door" and people going crazy and investing on the market.
Some of the rules for trading on the Chinese sharemarket are immature by western standards, he says.
Ebert doubts whether this crisis will cause the wheels to fall off the Chinese economy. But he says with China being NZ's major market the turmoil in the market is clearly not good news.
OPINION: Farmers around the country are welcoming the proposed reform of local government.
A move to boost farmer uptake of low methane emitting sheep is underway.
Silver Fern Farms has tackled the ongoing war-induced shipping challenges to mideast markets by airlifting 90 tonnes of chilled New Zealand lamb and beef to the United Arab Emirates.
The primary sector is leading New Zealand's economic recovery, according to economist and researcher Cameron Bagrie.
Dairy industry leader Jim van der Poel didn't make much of the invitation he received to the recent New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards in Rotorua.
Farmers around the country are going public big time, demanding their local district, city and regional councils come up with amalgamation plans that meet the needs of rural communities and don't allow urban councils to dominate.