The two big lessons from last year's initial public offerings were the huge difference between the best and worst performing companies and the importance of the first trading day.

The massive volatility in commodity prices, mostly price falls, was a major business story last year.

Next year's outlook for the New Zealand and Australian economies is the same as this year's - we are expected to outperform our Tasman neighbours once again.

The huge contrast between the largest Australian and New Zealand health insurance companies was clearly evident at the latter's annual meeting in Auckland on Thursday.

The Financial Markets Authority's consultation paper on corporate governance is timely.

Ken Wikeley's bankruptcy is a massive fall from grace for one of the NZX's more colourful characters.

October was a crazy month for financial markets.

The June 2014 reporting season is over, the results have been counted and analysed.

Recently released profit figures confirm that our largest listed companies have not taken full advantage of the buoyant economy.

The New Zealand workforce has changed dramatically over the past 24 years.

The sharemarket performance of recent IPOs, in New Zealand and overseas, has been extremely disappointing.

The healthcare sector was in the headlines this week with Abano Healthcare's profit announcement, a takeover offer for Acurity Health and Green Cross Health's annual meeting.

Brian Gaynor writes: What is private equity? Why does it have a mixed reputation in NZ? Do private equity IPOs underperform other new sharemarket listings?

The June 30 year was another positive 12 months for the NZX as the benchmark NZX50 Gross Index appreciated by 15.8 per cent compared with 30.6 per cent for the previous June year.

The aborted Hirepool IPO is an extremely positive development for institutional and retail investors, writes Brian Gaynor.

There are a number of important sharemarket events next week including Serko's listing on Tuesday, Gentrack Group on Wednesday and GuocoLeisure's delisting on Friday.

Millennium & Copthorne shareholders have received two huge documents in recent days outlining their options under the First Sponsor Group IPO in Singapore.

The takeover offer versus scheme of arrangement controversy is in the spotlight again.

Two annual meetings on Thursday highlighted the contrasting fortunes of Briscoe and Refining NZ.

A hopelessly one-sided conflict will be renewed in Ruakaka, Northland, on Thursday.

It is amazing how often business resembles life.

The new regulations will not please everyone, particularly investors who want to hold directors of failed companies to account, writes Brian Gaynor.

The bubble word is increasingly being used to describe residential property markets in many countries, writes Brian Gaynor.

The Treasury has finally developed a fair and widely accepted process for the Genesis Energy IPO, writes Brian Gaynor.