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☆ Australian inflation fight to be a drawn-out process, central bank assistant governor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A worker is reflected in a wall of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) head office in central Sydney, Australia, March 1, 2016. Speaking at a UBS conference, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Assistant Governor Marion Kohler said inflation was still expected to decline but not expected to reach the top end of the RBA's 2%-3% target until the end of 2025. Consumer price inflation ran at 5.4% in the third quarter, down from a peak of 7.8% last year but above RBA expectations. As a result, the central bank revised up its forecasts for inflation and economic growth in its quarterly statement on policy released last week. Falling goods prices have led the slowdown in inflation, but domestically generated costs continued to rise, Kohler said.

Persons: David Gray, Marion Kohler, Kohler, Wayne Cole, Sam Holmes Organizations: Reserve Bank of Australia, REUTERS, Rights, UBS, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia

☆ Australia central bank sees risk of upside surprises to inflation in policy outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Earlier this week, it ended a four-month pause by raising its cash rate a quarter point to a 12-year high of 4.35%. Stubborn inflation in the service sector led the RBA to revise up its forecasts for both CPI and core inflation. "There is potential for further upside surprises to inflation," the RBA cautioned, pointing to domestic cost pressures and external factors such as global warming. Such surprises would risk de-anchoring inflation expectations and require even higher interest rates, the RBA said. Growth for end 2024 was lifted by a quarter point to 2.0%, while the forecast for late 2025 stayed at 2.25%.

Persons: David Gray, Wayne Cole Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reserve Bank of Australia, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, AUSTRALIA

The results show how Australia's retail banks are leaning into businesses outside their traditional earnings engine of mortgages as higher interest rates raise the cost of repayments, spurring competition which has flattened profit margins. Sydney-listed Westpac said profit from its consumer division, which has just over one-fifth of Australian mortgages, shrank 7% in its full-year to end-September. Westpac gave no profit forecasts but said April-to-September trading was "more challenging" than the previous six months and "this is expected to continue into 2024". "If that does eventuate, interest rates will probably need to be higher than what we're thinking," he said on a call with analysts and media. Westpac declared a final dividend of 72 Australian cents per share, up from 64 Australian cents a year earlier.

Persons: David Gray, Azib Khan, Peter King, We've, Byron Kaye, Roushni Nair, Upasana Singh, Andrew Heavens, Josie Kao, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Australia's Westpac Banking Corp, REUTERS, Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, ANZ, Sydney, midsession, P Capital, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Ukraine, Bengaluru

☆ Google, Lendlease Scrap Agreement for $15 Billion Real-Estate Development in Silicon Valley
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Stuart Condie | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A Lendlease construction site in Sydney. Photo: david gray/ReutersSYDNEY—Four years ago, Google and Australia’s Lendlease rolled out a vision for a more than $15 billion real-estate investment in the San Francisco Bay Area featuring apartments, shops and new office space. Now, those plans are on the scrapheap, the latest example of U.S. tech leaders dumping office space at a rapid clip as they reassess commitments to the workplace.

Persons: Lendlease Organizations: SYDNEY —, Google Locations: Sydney, San Francisco Bay

The Sydney-based financial conglomerate has not had a steeper first-half profit drop in more than a decade. The results capped a run of "exceptional conditions" last year in the company's commodity trading and asset management segments, buoyed by energy market volatility and ripe conditions for asset sales, respectively, Chief Financial Officer Alex Harvey told Reuters. Macquarie said the asset management division's income should rebound in the second half to about the A$940 million it reported in the same period last year. The company said fees and commissions at investment banking arm Macquarie Capital were in line with the previous comparable period. Profit fell 28% to A$430 million.

Persons: David Gray, Alex Harvey, Macquarie, Shemara Wikramanayake, Wikramanayake, Barrenjoey, Lewis Jackson, Roushni Nair, Rishav Chatterjee, Jamie Freed Organizations: Macquarie Group Ltd, REUTERS, Macquarie, Reuters, Citi, Investment, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, SYDNEY, Ukraine, North America, Israel, Bengaluru

☆ Australia's NAB targets at least $633 mln in lending to indigenous businesses
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of the National Australia Bank is displayed outside their headquarters building in central Sydney, Australia August 4, 2017. Earlier this year, a review by the country's corporate regulator found banks were falling short of meeting targets for moving First Nations people into low-fee accounts. NAB, the country's second biggest lender, said the new lending target highlights a surge of more than 140% based on its current lending of just A$413 million helping stimulate "sustainable business growth" among indigenous communities. "During the last two years, we have put the building blocks in place to better support our growing First Nations business customer base, from both a commercial and cultural perspective," said Andrew Irvine, NAB Group Executive Business and Private Banking. ($1 = 1.5780 Australian dollars)Reporting by John Biju in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: David Gray, Andrew Irvine, John Biju, Krishna Chandra Eluri Organizations: National Australia Bank, REUTERS, Nations, NAB, Executive Business, Private Banking, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Bengaluru

☆ Californian Vineyard Founded by Lebanese Migrants Sells for Up to $1 Billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Stuart Condie | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Treasury Wine Estates, an Australia-based producer, will buy California-based DAOU Vineyards. Photo: David Gray/REUTERSSYDNEY—A Californian vineyard set up by two Lebanese migrants who got their first break making wines in a garage in rural San Diego has been acquired by Australia’s Treasury Wine Estates, one of the world’s largest vintners. DAOU Vineyards, owned by Georges and Daniel Daou, has agreed to be bought by Treasury Wine Estates for up to $1 billion in a move the Australian company said provides it with scale to potentially launch a luxury wine division covering the Americas. Treasury is among major producers seeking to generate more revenue from premium wines, which can sell for hundreds of dollars per bottle, as data suggest consumers are buying less bulk wine.

Persons: David Gray, Georges, Daniel Daou Organizations: Wine Estates, REUTERS SYDNEY, Australia’s Treasury Wine Estates, Treasury Wine Estates, Treasury Locations: Australia, California, San Diego, DAOU, Americas

☆ Australia's Treasury Wine to buy US-based DAOU Vineyards for $900 mln
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Roushni Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Bottles of Penfolds Grange, made by Australian wine maker Penfolds and owned by Australia's Treasury Wine Estates, sit on a shelf for sale at a wine shop in central Sydney, Australia, August 4, 2014. The wine producer has been resetting its strategy in an attempt to diversify outside of China, which used to contribute a third of its profits, after Beijing imposed tariffs on Australian wine in 2021 when Canberra called for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. The winemaker's combined premium and luxury portfolios delivered double-digit gross profit growth in fiscal 2023, according to its annual report. Including cost synergies of more than $20 million, the acquisition is expected to be mid to high-single-digit earnings per share (EPS) accretive in fiscal 2025, the first year of Treasury owning DAOU. Treasury said it would also issue A$157 million of new shares to the existing owners of DAOU.

Persons: David Gray, Penfolds Grange, Frank Family, Phillip Kimber, Roushni Nair, Shailesh Kuber, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Jamie Freed Organizations: Australia's Treasury Wine Estates, REUTERS, China Deal, Wine Estates, Treasury, P Capital, Thomson Locations: Australian, Sydney, Australia, China, Beijing, Canberra, Americas, Bengaluru

☆ Macquarie fund to invest in US fiber internet provider SwyftFiber
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/David Gray/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 26 (Reuters) - Australia's Macquarie Group (MQG.AX) said late on Thursday that a fund managed by its asset management arm would invest in U.S.-based telecom services provider SwyftFiber. Although Macquarie did not disclose the financial details of the deal, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that Macquarie was investing about $275 million for a majority stake. Neither Macquarie nor SwyftFiber respond to Reuters' requests for comment on deal details. The fund's proposed investment will allow SwyftFiber to speed up the construction of fiber infrastructure in existing and new markets, Macquarie said in a statement. SwyftFiber provides internet and television streaming services to communities in Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi, it added.

Persons: David Gray, Macquarie, Sameer Manekar, Anil D'Silva Organizations: Macquarie Group, REUTERS, Australia's Macquarie Group, Bloomberg, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Louisiana , Arkansas, Mississippi, Bengaluru

☆ Australia's surprisingly strong Q3 inflation raises odds of Nov rate hike
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Markets are wagering both the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank are done with hiking. HAWKISH MESSAGINGThe recent messaging from the central bank has been on the hawkish side. The biggest contributors to the third quarter inflation were fuel, rents, and electricity. Fuel prices rose 7.2% from a year ago, reversing two quarters of price falls, with the conflict in the Middle East potentially set to further stoke inflationary pressures. The central bank forecast in August that inflation was only projected to return to the top of the bank's target band of 2-3% in late 2025.

Persons: David Gray, Worryingly, Adam Boyton, Gareth Aird, Michele Bullock, Woolworths WOW.AX, Taylor Nugent, Stella Qiu, Wayne Cole, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reserve Bank of Australia, Australian Bureau, Statistics, Wednesday, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, ANZ, Economics, CBA, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Woolworths, National Australia Bank, NAB, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia

☆ Asia markets mixed ahead of Australia's inflation figures
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

An aerial view of the central business district and Sydney Opera House on February 17, 2023. David Gray | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets are mixed as investors prepare for Australia's third-quarter inflation figures, which will give clues to the Reserve Bank of Australia's monetary policy decision when it meets on Nov. 3. Economists polled by Reuters expect the headline inflation rate to come in at 5.3%, lower than the 6% seen in the second quarter. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 extended gains from Tuesday, climbing 0.32% in the morning session. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 17,480, pointing to a rebound after the HSI ended at its lowest level since Nov. 10.

Persons: David Gray, Kospi, HSI Organizations: Sydney Opera House, Getty, Reserve Bank, Reuters, Nikkei Locations: Asia, Pacific, Australia

☆ Second generation fusion energy might come to market at about $50/MWh: Tokamak Energy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSecond generation fusion energy might come to market at about $50/MWh: Tokamak EnergyDavid Gray, non-executive director at Tokamak Energy, says private sector involvement will make a difference in making fusion energy a commercially viable source of clean energy and discusses how much it could cost to consumers.

Persons: David Gray Organizations: Tokamak, Tokamak Energy

☆ Australian miner South32's met coal output falls on Illawarra disruptions
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( John Biju | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A sign adorns the building where Australian miner South32 has their office in Perth, Western Australia, November 19, 2015. As a result, production volumes at Illawarra operations are expected to be weighted to the second half of fiscal 2024, the miner said. Regardless, South32 kept its forecast of 4.4 million metric tons of annual metallurgical coal output from Illawarra, down from last year's 5.5 million tons. Production of metallurgical coal fell to 1.0 million tons in the three months to Sept. 30, from 1.3 million tons a year earlier. That was slightly lower than a consensus estimate of 1.1 million tons compiled by Visible Alpha.

Persons: South32, David Gray, Graham Kerr, John Biju, Roushni Nair, Lisa Shumaker, Jamie Freed, Subhranshu Organizations: REUTERS, Citi, Alpha, Thomson Locations: Perth, Western Australia, New South Wales, Illawarra, Bengaluru

☆ Australia's South32's Q1 metallurgical coal output falls on Illawarra bottlenecks
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A sign adorns the building where Australian miner South32 has their office in Perth, Western Australia, November 19, 2015. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies South32 Ltd FollowOct 23 (Reuters) - Diversified miner South32 (S32.AX) posted an 18% drop in first-quarter metallurgical coal output on Monday, as production was affected by disruptions at its Illawarra project in New South Wales. South32, the world's biggest producer of manganese, is facing operational headwinds at its Illawarra Metallurgical Coal project after the miner undertook an extended planned longwall move at the Dendrobium mine. The Perth-based miner said production of metallurgical coal, used to make steel, fell to 1.0 million metric tons in the three months to Sept. 30, from 1.3 million metric tons a year earlier. That was slightly lower than a consensus estimate of 1.1 million metric tons compiled by Visible Alpha.

Persons: South32, David Gray, John Biju, Roushni Nair, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, South32, Illawarra Metallurgical Coal, Alpha, Thomson Locations: Perth, Western Australia, New South Wales, Illawarra, Dendrobium, Bengaluru

☆ Jamaica’s Women’s World Cup squad refuses to play upcoming matches over ‘constant mistreatment’ and delayed payments
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Members of the World Cup squad, the statement read, were still waiting for correct payments for their performances at the tournament and accused the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) of poor management. If there is a grievance or concern, this must be placed squarely on the table to be addressed and documented to the JFF.”Players from Jamaica's World Cup squad have refused to play the team's upcoming games. Jamaica made its own history at the World Cup, becoming the first Caribbean nation ever to reach the knockout phase of the tournament. Jamaica eventually lost to Colombia in the last 16 of the Women's World Cup. A long battleFor years, Jamaica’s women’s team has battled for better funding and working conditions.

Persons: Allyson Swaby, Khadija Shaw, Xavier Gilbert, Gilbert, Lorne Donaldson, “, ”, David Gray, Luis Rubiales, Jennifer Hermoso, Rubiales, Jorge Vilda, Robert Cianflone, Jamaica’s, Bob Marley’s, Cedella Organizations: CNN, World, Jamaica Football Federation, Getty, Spanish national team, Royal Spanish Football Federation, Concacaf Gold, Panama, Jamaica Gleaner, FIFA, Jamaica Locations: AFP, Jamaica, Caribbean, Guatemala, Colombia, Australia, New Zealand, France, Brazil, Panama

☆ Australia Decides Chinese Firm Can Keep Operating Strategic Port
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Mike Cherney | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The port in Darwin has been used by U.S. troops during training exercises. Photo: DAVID GRAY/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesAustralia said it won’t cancel a Chinese company’s lease on a commercial port despite concerns that the firm’s operations pose a security risk at a strategic location in the north of the country. The local unit of China’s Landbridge Group has been operating the port in Darwin after getting a lease in 2015. Some former Australian defense officials and analysts say the port—which has been used by U.S. troops to unload equipment for training exercises—is important because it’s near military installations that could be crucial in any regional conflict.

Persons: DAVID GRAY, — Organizations: Agence France, Getty Locations: Darwin

☆ Virgin Australia's IPO executive David Marr resigns
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Aircraft from Australia's second largest airline, Virgin Australia, sit on the tarmac at the domestic terminal of Sydney Airport in Australia, August 19, 2018. Picture taken August 19, 2018. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 17 (Reuters) - Bain Capital-owned Virgin Australia (IPO-VIR.AX) on Tuesday said its Chief Development Officer David Marr, who was assigned to lead the airline's plans for an eventual initial public offering (IPO), has stepped down from his role. "A significant amount of this work is now complete and while we are committed to an IPO as soon as practicable, the timing of an actual listing is dependent on capital markets conditions," the airline said in an emailed response to Reuters. Reporting by Poonam Behura in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane VenkatramanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: David Gray, David Marr, Poonam, Janane Organizations: Virgin, Sydney Airport, REUTERS, Bain Capital, Virgin Australia, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Australia's, Virgin Australia, Australia, Bengaluru

☆ NZ's Fletcher Building set for worst day in 12 years amid pipe leak claims
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A sign for Fletcher Building Ltd adorns a crane at a construction site in the New Zealand city of Auckland, June 25, 2017. ASX-listed shares slumped nearly 10% and were the top losers in the ASX 200 benchmark index (.AXJO). Shares of Fletcher were on a trading halt in both exchanges since last Thursday to allow the company to respond to the claims. The construction materials maker said in August nearly 1,500 of 15,000 houses constructed using its pro-fit polybutylene plumbing pipes had experienced leaks between mid-2017 and mid-2022. The stock was last down 12.1% and set for its worst day since Oct. 12, 2011, if losses hold.

Persons: David Gray, Fletcher, staving, JP Morgan, Himanshi, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: Fletcher, REUTERS, Buckeridge, of Companies, JP, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, Auckland, Australia, Perth, Bengaluru

☆ Australia central bank sees possible cost savings in tokenisation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A worker is reflected in a wall of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) head office in central Sydney, Australia, March 1, 2016. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Australia's central bank on Monday said tokenised money could help save billions of dollars in costs in domestic financial markets, as it studies whether and how to launch a central bank digital currency. Australia's government on Monday separately outlined proposals for regulating crypto and digital assets that will make platforms subject to existing Australian financial services laws and require platform operators to obtain an Australian Financial Services Licence. The RBA has been studying whether to issue a central bank digital currency (CBDC) of its own and if it would help facilitate atomic settlement in tokenised asset markets. A wholesale CBDC could also act as a complement to new forms of privately issued digital money, including tokenised bank deposits and asset-backed stablecoins.

Persons: David Gray, Brad Jones, Jones, tokenisation, " Jones, Wayne Cole, Jamie Freed Organizations: Reserve Bank of Australia, REUTERS, Rights, Australian Financial, Treasury, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia

☆ How to watch the ‘ring of fire’ eclipse
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —On Saturday, a celestial spectacle will occur over North, Central and South America as an annular solar eclipse creates a “ring of fire” in the sky. The annular solar eclipse will begin in the United States at 9:13 a.m. PT (12:13 p.m. To view the annular eclipse safely, wear certified ISO 12312-2 compliant solar eclipse glasses or use a handheld solar viewer. Eclipse glasses allow for the safe viewing of all phases of an annular or partial solar eclipse. The small holes will reflect the sun’s crescent during a partial eclipse or a ring during the annular eclipse.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Mitzi Adams, Alberto Buzzola, you’ll, Kelly Korreck, David Gray, Bill Ingalls Organizations: CNN, NASA, Science, Marshall Space, American Eclipse, American Astronomical Society Locations: North, Central, South America, United States, Oregon, Gulf Coast, Texas, Nevada , Utah, New Mexico, California , Idaho , Colorado, Arizona, Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Panama, Colombia, Natal, Brazil, Taiwan, Alaska, Albuquerque , New Mexico, Kerrville , Texas, White Sands , New Mexico

A stacker unloads iron ore onto a pile at a mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia December 2, 2013. China iron ore imports vs SGX priceIMPORTS SLIPThere are also signs that China's iron ore imports may soften in October, although that is most likely related to the week-long holidays at the start of the month. The last official reading on iron ore imports was August's customs figure of 106.42 million metric tons, which was the highest monthly total since October 2020. A further possible concern for iron ore imports is what policy China will adopt regarding steel production for the coming winter period. One possible bullish factor for iron ore is the continuing retreat of China's port inventories, which suggests scope to import more to boost stockpiles.

Persons: David Gray, doesn't, SteelHome, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, China, HK, Garden, JPMorgan, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Pilbara, Western Australia, Rights LAUNCESTON, Australia, Beijing, Singapore, China's, China

☆ Virgin Australia clocks first profit in 11 years as travel demand recovers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aircraft from Australia's second largest airline, Virgin Australia, sit on the tarmac at the domestic terminal of Sydney Airport in Australia, August 19, 2018. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 10 (Reuters) - Bain Capital-owned Virgin Australia said on Tuesday that the airline returned to a profit for the first time in 11 years for fiscal 2023, buoyed by a strong recovery in travel demand following the COVID-19 pandemic. The carrier reported a statutory net profit after tax of A$129 million ($82.93 million) for the full year ended June 30, 2023, compared with a loss of A$565.5 million in 2022. Virgin Australia now has a considerably stronger balance sheet with continued significant improvement in its cost base, CFO Race Strauss said in a statement on Tuesday. Virgin was upbeat on its capital position, reporting total debt including leases of A$2.3 billion and over A$1 billion of cash on the balance sheet.

Persons: David Gray, Bain, Race Strauss, Strauss, Roushni Nair, Nausheen, Rashmi Organizations: Virgin, Sydney Airport, REUTERS, Bain Capital, Virgin Australia, Australian Securities Exchange, Reuters, GQG Partners, Airlines, Thomson Locations: Australia's, Virgin Australia, Australia, Bengaluru

☆ Global warming will hit Australian crop yields and GDP, treasurer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Harvesting machinery can be seen behind a wheat crop in a paddock located on the outskirts of the South Australian town of Jamestown, in Australia, December 1, 2017. Global warming is leading to hotter and more extreme weather in Australia, one of the world's largest exporters of agricultural products. "The latest analysis out of Treasury tells us that disasters and a warming climate have big, economy wide effects," Chalmers told an agricultural conference in Queensland dedicated to drought. "If further action isn't taken, Australian crop yields could be 4 per cent lower by 2063 – costing us about A$1.8 billion in GDP in today's dollars." ($1 = 1.5569 Australian dollars)Reporting by Peter Hobson; Editing by Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: David Gray, Jim Chalmers, Chalmers, Peter Hobson, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Jamestown, Australia, Queensland, decarbonisation

☆ New Zealand economy expands faster than expected
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Shoppers walk in front of a retail shop displaying a sale sign in central Wellington, New Zealand, July 3, 2017. Annual growth increased to 1.8%, Statistics New Zealand data showed, above expectations of 1.2%. "It's a victory for the New Zealand economy and for the people who work hard every single day to deliver high quality jobs," Finance Minister Grant Robertson told reporters. The handling of the economy has been a central theme in this year's election with the opposition criticising the government's role in record high inflation and the slowing economy. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) has been forecasting the economy would slip into recession in the second half of 2023.

Persons: David Gray, Gabrielle, Grant Robertson, Lucy Craymer, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, Statistics, New Zealand, U.S . Federal, Labour, New, Finance, ASB, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Thomson Locations: Wellington , New Zealand, WELLINGTON, Statistics New Zealand, Zealand, New Zealand

REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Global investment of $2.7 trillion a year is needed to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and avoid temperatures from rising above 1.5 degrees Celsius this century, a report by consultancy Wood Mackenzie said on Thursday. Many governments have pledged to reduce emissions to net zero by mid-century to help achieve this. However, most countries are not on track to even meet emissions targets by 2030, let alone 2050, the report said. Net zero refers to cutting emissions to as close to zero as possible with any remaining emissions re-absorbed from the atmosphere, by oceans and forests, for example. There will be a natural depletion as low and zero carbon options develop but supply still needs to be replenished as we move towards net zero," said Prakash Sharma, vice president at Wood Mackenzie, and lead author of the report.

Persons: David Gray, Wood Mackenzie, ”, Simon Flowers, Wood, Prakash Sharma, Nina Chestney, Deepa Babington Organizations: REUTERS, United Nations, Renewables, Thomson Locations: Port Botany, Sydney, Australia, 1.5C, Wood Mackenzie

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