The kiwi holds above 75 US cents in local trading after the government's track back to an operating surplus gets the thumbs up from S&P's and European leaders back Greece's membership of the euro.

Imperial Tobacco says the tax hike announced in today's Budget opens the door to increase New Zealand's illicit usage.

Canterbury University economics lecturer Eric Crampton says the government missed an opportunity to address long- and medium-term problems in the budget.

Sir Henry van der Heyden has welcomed the resignation of the watchdog Shareholders' Council chairman, saying Simon Couper had "done the right thing by the co-operative".

New Image, which makes colostrum-based health tonics, has forecast a full-year loss of about $4 million as it writes down goodwill and stock.