The amateur NZ traders riding the GameStop and cryptocurrency waves

three bags of cash, each with a different emblem on them: gamestop, diamond hands, and dogecoin

Last week Reddit users, including plenty in Aotearoa, took on Wall Street hedge funds. Here’s how they’re feeling now. Aucklander Zoe* is 24, a student, and she refuses to sell her GameStop shares. Her hands are so strong from holding them that, in Reddit lingo, they are made of diamonds. But she’s not holding them … Read more

Understanding investing, part two: How to plan

Our guide to stopping procrastinating and actually (finally) getting on top of investing. Because there’s a good chance that if you’re reading this, you don’t know a single thing about it. In part one, we covered some of the basic things you need to know about investing – why do it? How hard is it? … Read more

Why medicinal cannabis suffered after the October cannabis referendum

Medicinal cannabis stocks took a dive in the aftermath of the cannabis referendum. Here’s why it happened. In the aftermath of the cannabis referendum on October 17, stocks for the two NZX-listed medicinal cannabis companies both sold down. While the referendum concerned the recreational, not medicinal use of cannabis, medicinal cannabis companies say there may … Read more

Day trading has surged in popularity. Should we be worried?

Many new investors in the US have started frantically buying and selling shares without considering the risks involved. Hatch GM Kristen Lunman explores the reasons for such behaviour and whether we’re seeing it happen in New Zealand.  A share market rollercoaster, record low interest rates, and more free time on our hands have inspired a … Read more

Understanding investing, part one: The basics

How to stop procrastinating and actually (finally) get on top of investing. Because there’s a good chance that if you’re reading this, you don’t know a single thing about it.  I can’t say I have a lot of good habits, but one habit I can vouch for is my inclination to save. I’ve saved up … Read more

How lockdown made us rethink how we save and invest

Despite the economic downturn, recent months have seen more everyday New Zealanders investing their money than ever before. But why? What with all the financial uncertainty of Covid-19, it’s a surprise anyone would choose a national lockdown as the time to start investing. But that’s exactly what 24-year-old Hanoz* did back in March. Stuck at … Read more

Three indicators to help pick winning stocks

Retail investors should invest in companies that have paid out dividends, been ahead of new trends or been able to push pause during the Covid-19 crisis, reports Dan Brunskill for BusinessDesk. Picking the next round of gains is a difficult challenge in a market that has been reordered by the pandemic, but humanity’s ability to … Read more

Making the most of the Covid-19 sharemarket dip

Hatch GM Kristen Lunman shares some dos and don’ts for investing during a big market decline. Covid-19 has sent share prices from New Zealand to New York tumbling, sparking a wild ride over the last couple of months and into a volatile bear market. If you’re not familiar with the term bear market, it refers … Read more

What it’s like to make billion-dollar investment decisions during Covid-19

With Covid-19 causing major downturns and worried investors wondering what to do next, Kiwi Wealth’s head of fixed interest shares her thoughts and experience on how to get through these challenging times. From the City of London to New York’s Wall Street, Diana Gordon has worked at the frontlines of global investing for more than … Read more

Risk-averse and big on houses: Our long-running attitudes towards investing

What makes us save and invest the way we do? Jihee Junn explores how history and culture have shaped our approach to investing and why, despite our ‘rockstar economy’, many are feeling left out.  A lot of great things happened in 1987: New Zealand officially went nuclear-free, Māori became recognised as an official language, and … Read more

Understanding KiwiSaver, part two: The fund

How to stop procrastinating and actually (finally) get on top of KiwiSaver. Because there’s a good chance that if you’re reading this, you don’t know a single thing about it.  Read the full series here. In a lot of ways, KiwiSaver is a bit of a misnomer. Sure you’re saving for your future retirement, but … Read more

How a NZ fund manager turned a $3000 student loan into $1b under management

Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he talks to Mike Taylor, founder of Pie Funds. On this week’s Business is Boring, Simon Pound talks to a founder … Read more

Everything you need to know about managed funds

What is a managed fund and how does it work? We’re here to answer all your questions and more. Let’s start with the basics: what even is a managed fund? As the name suggests, a managed fund is an investment fund that’s taken care of by a team of experts. When you put money into … Read more

‘I was on the disaster curve’: Frances Cook on life as a reformed money mess

Host of personal finance podcast Cooking the Books and now author of a book dubbed ‘the realest guide to money’ Frances Cook tells us why it’s so hard for people to be open about money, finding new ways to channel her spending habits, and why more young women should look to invest.    Read more: … Read more

Announcing The Spinoff Money

After years of trying, The Spinoff today launches Money – its newest section, one aimed at demystifying and making accessible the world of money. For decades, the relationship between most New Zealanders and money was broadly stable, baked into a set of milestones it was assumed all aspired to and would achieve if they strived. … Read more

Why sustainable investing matters – and how to take a stand with your KiwiSaver

Most KiwiSaver funds are managed by one of the big Australian banks, which create returns through investments in fossil fuels, human rights violations, tobacco and weaponry. With attitudes shifting towards sustainability, what can ordinary investors do? This month 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg completed a journey across the Atlantic in a zero-emissions yacht to attend … Read more

How to invest ethically in KiwiSaver and why you absolutely should

Over 2.8 million New Zealanders are signed up for Kiwisaver, but not many are aware of where that money is going. Weaponry, fossil fuels and gambling services are all being invested in from some of the most popular funds, and a new charity tool is making it one step easier to change what you’re investing … Read more

KiwiSaver flagging? Be brave, stand firm

Panicking and changing KiwiSaver funds when the market goes through a bad patch is precisely the wrong thing to do, writes Martin Hawes. Annual KiwiSaver statements are hitting people’s inboxes about now, and there may be a few gasps from those who don’t generally pay much attention to the business news. Thanks to turbulence on … Read more

Level Two: The Parnell innovation centre fostering NZ’s deep tech projects

Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. This week he talks to Imche Fourie, General Manager of LevelTwo, and Dr … Read more

The bizarro world of the very young, very rich Jake Millar

He’s 23 years old and runs a $9 million video company that interviews successful business leaders and then posts them online. Who is Unfiltered co-founder Jake Millar? And what even is Unfiltered?  “Who’s got a couple of thousand dollars to spare?” One hand, two hands, three hands go up – for a Dick Frizzell, a … Read more

Into the dragon’s den with New Zealand’s wealthiest investors

Hundreds of New Zealand’s wealthiest investors gathered for 2018’s Flux Demo Day for a night of wining, dining, and million-dollar business investments. Jihee Junn went along to watch this year’s plucky startups pitch it out. This post was originally published 6 July 2018 “The first rule of investing is: don’t leave the table when the … Read more

Into the dragon’s den with New Zealand’s million-dollar investments

Hundreds of New Zealand’s wealthiest investors gathered for the 2018 Flux Demo Day last week for a night of wining, dining, and million-dollar business investments. Jihee Junn went along to watch this year’s plucky startups pitch it out. “The first rule of investing is: don’t leave the table when the food’s being served!” a jolly … Read more

Financial advice from business mogul (and Real Housewife) Bethenny Frankel

When Bethenny Frankel first bought Amazon shares, the company was nothing. But her gut said it was going to be big, so she bought in. That’s just one of her many, many business successes. On a recent visit to Auckland, Rebecca Stevenson tapped the Real Housewives of New York star for her top financial tips. … Read more

Mind on my money: The Spinoff takes Nigel Latta’s money personality quiz

Information is power, right? A new money personality quiz built by our partners at Kiwibank could help you tackle your money issues. The Spinoff took it for a spin – here are our results. Do you ever consider your relationship with money? Or that the way you feel about yourself carries through into what sort … Read more

Are you getting your money’s worth from your KiwiSaver fees?

Last year Kiwis paid about $340 million in KiwiSaver fees, but who knows if it was a good deal? David Boyle from The Commission For Financial Capability says changes to our annual statements should make it easier to understand what we are paying for. When your KiwiSaver annual statement lands in your letterbox, or inbox, … Read more

Sharesies makes its data look so good I want to invest

With its bright pineapples and “kiwifruit brown”, Sharesies has changed the visual game for investing. Can the startup teach banks some new tricks? Charles Anderson finds the future of personal finance is visual, interactive and customer-focused. Ben Crotty’s “key moment of truth” came in the form of a particular shade of brown. He had spent … Read more

First do no harm: How to be a responsible investor

There is a rising global movement towards responsible investing, but how can new KiwiSavers know how to invest without causing harm? Rebecca Stevenson caught up with Kiwi Wealth’s Steffan Berridge to discuss the ins and outs of ethical investing.   First things first. What is responsible investing? And why should anyone care about it? Many Kiwis … Read more

Is crowdfunding the way to get in on the ground floor of the next Xero or Facebook?

Our first equity crowdfunded business, Renaissance Brewing, has gone bust. But Richard Meadows writes that rather than being a canary in the crowdfunding coalmine, it’s a reminder that early stage investment is ride-or-die.  2014 was a piquant, joyous year; easy on the palate, with just a hint of botanicals to make things interesting. For Renaissance … Read more