Breaking news and videos of today's latest news stories from around New Zealand, including up to date weather, World, sport, business, Entertainment, Technology Life and Style, Travel and motoring.Read full newsRead More

The Central American nation of Belize, in a move to protect the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere, has banned the offshore extraction of oil and gas in its maritime territories.Read full newsRead More

Rising shipments of Russian crude to China could lead to rising crude prices for its top crude market: EuropeRead full newsRead More

DAMASCUS, SYRIA (11:00 PM) - A massive explosion shook the rebel stronghold of Idlib late on Sunday, as a car bomb exploded within the city. According to oRead full newsRead More

(Kitco News) - A famous and likely the most expensive bottle of vodka made out of gold, which appeared on one of the ‘House of Cards’ episodes, was stolen from a bar in Copenhagen last week.But, as it turned out, the thief was only after the alcohol, as the bottle itself was found discarded three days later.The unique Russo-Baltique bottle — worth about $1.3 million — is ma...Read More

China on Friday tightened limits on critically important energy supplies to North Korea and stepped up other trade restrictions under intensified U.N. nuclear sanctions.Read full newsRead More

By Chris ThomasJan 8 (Reuters) - Australian shares extended their rally to a fourth session on Monday, hovering around 10-year highs as investors drew confidence from Wall Street after it capped off a strong week.The S&P 500 and Nasdaq logged their best weekly gains in over a year on Friday as technology stocks boosted major indexes to records. In Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 index advanced 0.3...Read More

By Howard Schneider and Jonathan SpicerPHILADELPHIA, Jan 7 (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers have come to view Donald Trump's tax overhaul as a short-term economic boost that will neither permanently supercharge the economy, as the president says, or cause an immediate disruption that would require a central bank response, as some analysts have warned.That view emerged in recent interv...Read More

(Repeats for market hours. No change to text.)* China's FX reserves climb by $20 bln in December* Economists polled by Reuters expected reserves to rise by $6 bln* Eleventh month of gains, longest stretch since June 2014* Reserves rise $129.5 bln in 2017, first annual gain since 2014 BEIJING, Jan 7 (Reuters) - China's foreign exchange reserves rose to their highest in more than a year in Decembe...Read More

(Repeats for market hours. No change to text.)* China's FX reserves climb by $20 bln in December* Economists polled by Reuters expected reserves to rise by $6 bln* Eleventh month of gains, longest stretch since June 2014* Reserves rise $129.5 bln in 2017, first annual gain since 2014 BEIJING, Jan 7 (Reuters) - China's foreign exchange reserves rose to their highest in more than a year in Decembe...Read More

* PREVIOUS TRADING SESSION MOVES:* SSEC +0.2 pct, CSI300 +0.2 pct, HSI +0.3 pct* HK->Shanghai Connect daily quota used 8 pct, Shanghai->HK daily quota used 18.2 pct* HK->Shenzhen Connect daily quota used 12.1 pct, Shenzhen->HK daily quota used 7.1 pct* CNY official close 6.4887 per dollar* FTSE China A50 +0.6 pct, BNY Mellon ADR China Select Index +0.3 pct SHANGHAI, Jan 8 (Reuters) -...Read More

Jan 8 (Reuters) - For other diaries, please see:Top Economic Events Polling Unit Diary Today in Washington Political and General News DATECOUNTRY AUCTION DETAILS8-JanFranceAuction of BTF Treasury notes8-JanNetherlands DTC auction9-JanUnited States Sale of 3-year notes9-JanUnited KingdomAuction of 1 1/4 % Treasury Gilt 20279-JanNetherlands DSL auction 10-JanUnited States Sale of 10-year notes 10-J...Read More

Jan 8 (Reuters) -For other diaries, please see:U.S. Federal Reserve Polling Unit Diary Today in Washington Political and General News -----------------------------------------------------------This Diary is fileddaily. ----------------------------------------------------------- MONDAY, JANUARY 8BRUSSELS - The European Commission holds a conference and its speakers include EU Commission head Jean-C...Read More

Jonathan Spicer, Howard SchneiderPHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve should raise interest rates three times this year given the already strong economy will get a boost from tax cuts, and can tighten more or less aggressively if needed, a key U.S. rate-setter said on Saturday.In an interview, San Francisco Fed President John Williams painted a benign picture of the world’s largest e...Read More

China is pushing to limit consumption of coal, which is used to produce most of its electricity.Read full newsRead More

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump’s tweet about having a bigger nuclear button than Kim Jong Un’s has kept the North Korean leader “on his toes” and made clear the risks of a nuclear standoff, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Sunday.After Kim asserted that he had a nuclear button at the ready, Trump last week dismissed the taunt by...Read More

A prospective rare earths mine that could become a longterm supplier of neodymium and praseodymium has been green-lighted by the state Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).Arafura Resources (ASX:ARU) on Friday received approval from the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (EPA), after an assessment process lasting more than two years. The EPA found that the risks from mining...Read More

A tanker carrying Iranian oil and run by the country's top oil shipping firm was ablaze and spewing cargo into the East China Sea on Sunday after colliding with a Chinese freight ship, leaving the tanker's 32 crew members missing, the Chinese government said.Read full newsRead More

SYDNEY, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Australia on Monday said it expects iron ore prices to average $51.50 a tonne this year, down 20 percent from 2017, because of rising global supply and moderating demand from top importer China as its steel sector shrinks.The world's top three mining companies, BHP and Vale rely heavily on iron ore sales for the bulk of their revenue despite efforts to diversify more int...Read More

Jan 8 (Reuters) - Australian shares are poised to extend gains to a fourth straight session on Monday after touching 10-year highs last week, following a strong leads from Wall Street.The S&P 500 and Nasdaq notched their best weekly gains in more than a year on Friday as technology stocks helped lift major indexes to records. The local share price index futures rose 0.3 percent or 18 points to...Read More