The Far North District is a hot-spot for Kiwis looking to get away over the holidays.

However, due to the impacts of cyclones, storms and COVID - the area's businesses are still struggling.

Far North District Mayor Moko Tepania told Andrew Dickens that tourism this summer is key to boosting Northland's struggling businesses.

'We need you all to come up here and spend your money because our businesses bloody need it.'

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Often trust have been seen to be province of the uber wealthy. But are they? And often people don't think about this issue until it is too late

So when should we think about these issues - our family. inheritances and what's gonna happen to our money when we aren't around to look after it?

Managing Director for New Zealand Family Trust Services Limited Janet Xuccoa joins Tim Beveridge to give her advice on trust accounts, and how they should be used.

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In November China's economy showed clear signs of strain as investment, consumption, and industrial output all weakened more than anticipated.

"I think the most worrying thing is fixed asset investment actually, which has now declined for the 3rd month in a row," Asia business correspondent Peter Lewis told Andrew Dickens

"We've never seen that before."

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2025 has been a memorable year for global equity markets, and it's prompted speculation from investors.

Between economic downturns and tariffs, there's been plenty for experts to voice concerns about.

Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie explained further.

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Dairy farmer and agribusiness leader Nathan Guy is New Zealand’s new special agricultural trade envoy.

Todd McClay, Minister for Trade and Investment and Minister of Agriculture, announced Guy’s appointment today.

The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further.

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New Zealand's back on the road to financial recovery, according to new reports.

The latest Stats NZ data shows the economy contracted 0.5 percent in the year to September.

But it's grown 1.1 percent - faster than expected - in the last quarter.

Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says we're effectively returning to where we once were.

"Momentum is starting to build, but it's building from a weak spot. So we're certainly not saying that the economy is completely back, but it is on a better track."

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New Zealand's economy grew more than expected between July and September.

But between April and June, it shrank more than previously thought.

GDP rose 1.1% in the September quarter, surpassing all expectation but Stats NZ has revised the numbers for the June quarter, finding GDP actually fell 1%, not the previously-reported 0.9%.

That means the economy shrank 0.5% in the year to September.

NZ Herald Business Editor Liam Dann told Kerre Woodham the data is showing there’s some momentum in the economy, especially within manufacturing and business services.

He says consumers take a bit longer to feel upbeat, but the business core of the economy is picking up.

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I know you shouldn't count your chickens before they hatch, but can we just take a minute to look at the good economic news coming out?

Government books aside, tomorrow's GDP read will show we bounced back with a spring in Q3 - close to 1 percent growth, they reckon.

What's more, that shocking read for Q2 should be revised down because it wasn't actually as bad as the topline number we were given to begin with.

Today, consumer confidence is on the rebound. This is according to the Westpac McDermott Miller survey.

It's up 5.6 points - to its highest level this year. Still slightly below 100 - which means more are still glass-half empty than full, but it's going in the right direction.

As are Seek job ads and as are most of the numbers that move first when a recovery is underway.

Now, I say all of this completely aware that we've been here before and fired a blank. We've had many a false dawn and false start.

But barring any major cock-ups, this recovery feels like its real and happening.

The missing ingredient of course is house prices, which are either sideways or backwards for most regions. That's the liquor in your Irish coffee that really gets things moving on the economic front.

But this recovery will happen without it.

It won't be soaring property prices that give birth this recovery, it won't start in an auction room with the hammer going down on a $44 million two-beddy in Sandringham.

What's going to drive this recovery, and make it a very gradual one, is confidence in our agricultural exporters, our lower mortgage rates, and, I think - more than anything - a feeling that we're just sick of being in this position.

The ironic truth of it is that in order to get us out of the malaise, we must spend money, rather than save it. We must go out and buy stuff.

So this Christmas, take that confidence to your nearest shopping mall.

Tonight, I'm doing exactly that. Westfield is open till 10pm. I've found a tent, I've been eyeing it up today, and I'm ready to push play on summer and on spending and an economic Christmas miracle.

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