Top Of The Morning News Digest

Thursday, 9 July 2015, 8:58 am
Press Release: NewsRoom_Plus

Top Of The Morning News Digest

* NewsRoom_Digest from 8 July 2015 available at Eveningreport.nz - see http://info.scoop.co.nz/EveningReport.nz

* RNZ 7am - Top 5 items for 9 July 2015

1. Chinese share values continue to plunge. Both the Shanghai Composite Index and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell by 6% yesterday and shares have lost nearly a third of their value since mid-June. Altogether about 1300 firms have halted trading, almost half of China’s main shares.

2. The New York Stock Exchange says a cyberattack is not to blame for computer problems that have forced it to stop trading for several hours. It describes the glitch that caused the suspension as an internal technical issue. Separately, United Airlines also suffered a computer problem that forced it to temporarily ground all its flights for the second time in recent weeks.

3. Farmers near the proposed Ruataniwha water storage project in the Hawkes Bay says they won’t buy the water because it is too expensive and would make their farms unprofitable. The Hawkes Bay Regional Council must pre-sell at least 40 million tonnes of water before the dam is viable. None of the farmers wanted to be named because they fear the backlash from being perceived as ‘anti-dam’.

4. The lobby group Living Wage Aotearoa says 2013 Census data has highlighted the new working poor - those who have jobs but can’t afford the rent on a home. Of the approximately 4000 people living in shacks, garages and cars more than half are working.

5. Figures from the Real Estate Institute show property sales have picked up in Northland for the first time since the global financial crisis of 2008, driven by Auckland buyers. The institute says there is now a shortage of listings and that could push prices up in spring if demand continues.

ENDS

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