PM Edition: Top 10 Business Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for May 25, 2026 – Full Text

Source: New Zealand Government

More ambulance crews, upgraded technology, and stronger frontline support will strengthen ambulance services across New Zealand, enabling quick and effective responses to emergencies, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister Casey Costello say. 

“When New Zealanders call an ambulance, they need confidence that they will get the help they need quickly and that frontline crews have the support and resources they need to respond,” Mr Brown says.

“Demand for ambulance services continues to grow across the country, which is why we are focused on strengthening the workforce, infrastructure, and technology needed to support modern, reliable emergency care.”

Budget 2026 provides $35 million over four years to strengthen road ambulance services and deliver immediate improvements for patients and frontline staff.

Funding is provided for:

The establishment of two ambulance hubs in Auckland, with one confirmed for South Auckland
The deployment of an electronic Patient Clinical Record system
Additional training support for ambulance communications centre staff
Additional clinical welfare checks for patients

The investment from Budget 2026 will be in addition to an increase in funding from Health New Zealand and ACC for road ambulances to meet demand and cost pressures, with the total funding package to be finalised following negotiations for the next four-year contract.

The increased funding from Health New Zealand and ACC will support:

Additional frontline ambulance crews and 111 call handlers
Strengthened recruitment and retention of ambulance volunteers, particularly in rural and high-deprivation areas
An enhanced clinical hub to provide clinical telephone advice and support more patients to resolve their care needs without an ambulance response

Ms Costello says the overall funding increase contributes to the National–NZ First Coalition Agreement commitment.

“Emergency ambulance demand is expected to increase by 95,000 incidents over the next four years, to an estimated 735,000 incidents. This additional investment is critical to ensuring ambulance services can continue putting more crews on the road to meet growing demand, while maintaining safe and efficient services for communities across New Zealand,” Ms Costello says.

“Volunteers also play an essential role in ambulance services, particularly in rural and remote areas, sustaining emergency care for those communities, while the enhanced clinical hub will help more patients access the right level of care sooner through clinical telephone advice and allow crews to focus on higher-acuity emergencies.

“The overall investment is expected to reduce avoidable emergency department transports by around 23,000 each year by 2029/30, while supporting the infrastructure needed to improve service delivery and meet future demand.”

The new spending builds on a significant increase in ambulance service funding under this Government. Since 2023, Health New Zealand and ACC have provided an additional $77.7 million for road ambulance services, bringing total funding to $452 million for the 2025/26 financial year. This sustained investment has supported record ambulance staffing levels, faster response times for the most serious emergencies, and more efficient use of resources.

Mr Brown says strengthening ambulance services is part of the Government’s commitment to ensuring New Zealanders can access timely, quality healthcare when they need it most.

“Ambulance crews are on the frontline of emergency care every day. That’s exactly why the Government has remained focused on responsible fiscal management – so we can keep investing in the services that matter most to New Zealanders.

“This investment is about fixing the basics and building the future – strengthening ambulance crews’ ability to respond quickly and deliver safe, effective care, and ensuring services are well equipped to meet growing demand and continue supporting New Zealanders,” Mr Brown says.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/22/boosting-ambulance-services-across-new-zealand/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Nvidia, the world’s largest listed company and a critical bellwether on the health of the AI sector, posted record first-quarter earnings on Thursday of more than NZ$136 billion.

That’s up 85 percent on a year ago, with forecasts for the next quarter of over NZ$153 billion.

The world’s leading maker of AI computer chips is currently valued at around NZ$10 trillion and is so big that it makes up 7 to 8 percent of the S&P 500 Wall Street stock index.

Investment director at Craigs Investment Partners Mark Lister says most KiwiSaver funds invest in US stocks and will therefore be very exposed to the fortunes of Nvidia.

“If you’ve got a shares component of your KiwiSaver, then it will probably be dominated by the US share market, which is 65 percent of global markets,” Lister said.

“With Nvidia being 5 or 10 percent of the US market depending on which index you look at, you have in all likelihood got a pretty heavy weighting to this company whether you are aware of it or not.”

Lister said the headline result on Thursday looked good, as Nvidia beat estimates on revenue, guidance, data center earnings and margins.

However, he said the market had expected it to be strong and that’s why the initial share price reaction was flat.

And he noted that any new information that comes to light from the CEO’s investor conference call will likely influence where shares go overnight.

US sharemarket growth in recent years has been driven in large part by the boom in AI companies, with Nvidia at the forefront.

Its share price is up 65 percent over the last year and 13-fold over the last five years.

“It’s been a phenomenally successful business,” Lister said. “What we need to see from here on, is earnings and genuine fundamental growth, support that share price move. To date it has.”

However, he believed there were still questions around geopolitics and whether Nvidia can continue to send chips to China, as well as growing competition from companies like Alphabet and Amazon.

“It’s always a little bit unnerving when you see share price moves that are as sharp as what you’ve seen with some of these AI stocks and the likes of Nvidia.

“But to date that is being supported by the economic fundamentals within the business, so it’s been a great performer and if it can continue to maintain this momentum, then it doesn’t look terribly overvalued ironically.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/21/why-nvidias-result-matters-for-kiwisaver-investors/

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand’s largest drug maker AFT Pharmaceuticals has reported strong full year sales growth and net profit, giving the company reason to lift its 2027 revenue target to more than $300 million.

Company chair David Flacks said the strength of its core Australasian business and increasing geographic and product diversification supported the strong result with double digit growth in all its regions.

Key numbers for the 12 months ended March compared with a year ago:

• Net profit $14.7m v $12m up 23%
• Total revenue $254.7m v $208m up 22%
• Underlying profit $28.8m v $20.9m
• Gross margin 42.4% v 44%
• FY dividend 2.5 cents per share v 1.8 cps

Managing director Dr Hartley Atkinson said the company, which was best known for its Maxigesic pain medication, was growing in its established markets and expanding into others.

The company expanded its footprint in the UK, Europe, North America and South Africa,

“And we are building a wider, more diversified AFT through disciplined international expansion, out-licensing the intellectual property from our R&D programs, and further advancing our efforts to address unmet clinical needs,” he said.

Gross margin on product sales and royalties were down on the year earlier, though expected to improve in the current financial year, with underlying profit forecast to reach between $28m and $32m.

Atkinson said total expenses were up over the year, but down as a proportion of sales at 33.8 percent versus 35.6 percent the year earlier, as it spent more to fund growth.

The company was continuing to invest as part of its plan to expand in Australasian markets, and fund a strong programme of launches across International hubs, with the U.K. and South African markets expected to make a “meaningful contribution” to earnings in the current financial year.

It was expecting to make more progress in R&D and regulatory milestones, with an active licensing programme intended to monetise AFT’s intellectual property and broaden its geographic reach.

“We are well positioned to continue to grow by focusing on what we do best – identifying unmet clinical needs, in-licensing or developing medicines, and commercialising them to improve health globally,” Atkinson said.

“Importantly, our increasing geographic and product diversification supports the resilience of the business.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/21/aft-pharmaceuticals-lifts-its-2027-revenue-target-to-above-300-million/

Source: Press Release Service

Headline: Rising Repair Costs Drive Demand for Car Removal Services

Rising repair and spare-part costs are driving Auckland vehicle owners to scrap older cars instead of repairing them, boosting demand for car removal services, recycling solutions, same-day pickups, and disposal.

The post Rising Repair Costs Drive Demand for Car Removal Services first appeared on PR.co.nz.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/22/rising-repair-costs-drive-demand-for-car-removal-services/

Source: Media Outreach

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 May 2026 – Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA) marked a significant national milestone in advancing the decarbonization of Thailand’s cement and concrete industry toward Net Zero 2050. This progress is driven by strong collaboration among government agencies, industry players, and international partners under the “Decarbonization of the Cement and Concrete Sectors in Thailand” project, while accelerating the adoption of technology, innovation, and green investment to enhance competitiveness and support long-term economic growth.

Dr. Chana Poomee, Honourary Chairman of TCMA and President of ASEAN Federation of Cement Manufacturers (AFCM), stated that today’s “National Milestone” reflects the power of collaboration at both national and international levels. The initiative is led by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in partnership with TCMA and key Thai government agencies, including the Department of Climate Change and Environment and the Department of Industrial Works, with financial support of CAD 8 million from the Government of Canada through Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), to accelerate tangible greenhouse gas reductions in the cement and concrete sector.

TCMA, as the industry representative, serves as a central platform connecting stakeholders across the entire value chain, driving the implementation of the “Thailand 2050 Net Zero Cement and Concrete Roadmap.” This aligns with Thailand’s NDC 3.0 targets, strengthening industrial competitiveness, attracting green investment, and fostering sustainable economic growth.

“Decarbonization is not only a pressing challenge but also a strategic opportunity to enhance national competitiveness. The progress achieved under this project spans policy development, innovation, technology deployment, standards, and capacity building-key enablers that will accelerate the industry’s transition toward Net Zero”, Dr. Chana said.

A key technological advancement under the project is the introduction of the Mobile Carbon Capture Unit (MCCU) from CETRI, Canada. This advanced and flexible technology is designed for real-world industrial operations and will be piloted starting in June, rotating across cement plants of TCMA members in the SARABURI SANDBOX. The pilot aims to validate performance under diverse operational conditions and pave the way for large-scale industrial application.

“The deployment of MCCU in Thailand highlights the strength of international collaboration in bringing advanced technologies into real-world application. It accelerates learning-by-doing, validates technological performance, strengthens local technical capabilities, and reduces investment risks-laying a strong foundation for future scale-up”,
Dr. Chana added.

From an investment perspective, the development of technology-ready and standards-aligned projects enhances investor confidence, increases the attractiveness of green investment, and improves access to sustainable finance-key drivers in accelerating the industry’s transition to Net Zero.

TCMA continues to advance the industry under a “Collaborative Mindset-Action-Value,” promoting the systematic adoption of low carbon technologies, including low carbon cement innovations such as Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC³), Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS). These solutions not only reduce emissions but also improve efficiency, lower long-term costs, and strengthen global competitiveness.

At the regional level, TCMA is expanding its role through AFCM by fostering collaboration and advancing the AFCM Decarbonization Roadmap, which serves as a shared framework to reduce carbon emissions across ASEAN’s cement industry while enhancing regional technology, standards, and competitiveness.

“As President of the AFCM, TCMA is committed to driving ASEAN toward becoming a low carbon region by leveraging collaboration as a key mechanism to accelerate technology transfer, strengthen the industry capabilities, and unlock new regional economic opportunities”,
Dr. Chana said.

TCMA reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration and welcoming international support in both technology and finance to accelerate the transition toward a low carbon industry, while enhancing Thailand’s competitiveness on the global stage.

Hashtag: #TCMA #CementActionToNetZero #NetZero2050 #Decarbonization

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Source: Media Outreach

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 May 2026 – Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CPF), a leading global agro-industrial and food company, is positioning Thailand as a regional food innovation hub at THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2026, showcasing its latest food innovations developed for global consumers. The showcase highlights how Thai expertise, advanced production capabilities, consumer-centric R&D, and robust strategic partnerships are delivering high-quality, sustainable food experiences to consumers worldwide.

Under the concept “Food Innovation for Wellness,” CPF is showcasing a diverse portfolio of market-driven food innovations developed to meet the evolving needs of consumers across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia. The showcase highlights the company’s commitment to food safety, quality, wellness, and convenience, including products inspired by its experience in developing Thai-style chicken with basil sauce to meet stringent space-grade food safety standards, as well as the newly launched CP Nippon brand.

Prasit Boondoungprasert, Chief Executive Officer of CPF, said “Consumers around the world are looking for food that is not only safe and delicious, but also convenient, nutritious, and responsibly produced. At CPF, we believe food plays an important role in people’s everyday lives. We are committed to understanding consumers and business partners in every market and continuously developing innovative food solutions that deliver better experiences, support wellbeing, and meet the evolving needs of consumers worldwide.”

At this year’s exhibition, CPF highlights its strengths as a global food company with international operations with local market insight, powered by innovation and technology to serve partners and consumers worldwide while helping advance more sustainable food systems.

The showcase features a diverse portfolio of ready-to-eat meals, premium protein products, convenience foods, and international award-winning menu innovations from CPF’s global brand portfolio, including Authentic Asia, CP Uoriki, CP Nippon, and Thai Cube. All are designed to meet growing consumer demand for safer, healthier, tastier, more convenient, and tailored to changing consumer lifestyles.

At THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA 2026, CPF welcomes business partners, customers, and visitors from around the world to explore its latest global food innovations at booths 1-RR01 and 1-RR15 in Challenger Hall 1.

https://www.cpfworldwide.com/en/home

Hashtag: #THAIFEXAnugaAsia #FoodInnovation #FoodTech #FutureOfFood #SustainableFood #FoodSafety #CPFXTHAIFEX2026 #FoodInnovationForWellness #THAIFEX2026

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Source: Media Outreach

These initiatives are designed to support customer and partner expectations for more resilient, transparent and sustainable digital infrastructure. By combining supplier governance, circular economy practices and improved carbon accounting, Expereo is building a more data-driven foundation for future ESG performance and reporting.

Hashtag: #Expereo #EcoVadis

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Source: Media Outreach

Recognition reflects TDCX’s evolution into a global firm helping clients navigate digital and AI transformation with a combination of human expertise, intelligent technology, and operational precision

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Source: Radio New Zealand

Health economists say the government will need to spend an additional $1.405 billion on health in Budget 2026 if it is to maintain the country’s current level of service.

The number is in a new report, commissioned by public health campaigners Kaitiaki Hauora, titled How much funding is needed for Health in the 2026 Budget? by Dr Jacqueline Cumming and Dr Bill Rosenberg.

Cumming, an independent health economist, said it considered factors like rising labour market costs, population growth, and the fact the population is aging.

“This is how much money we actually need to deliver the same set of services as we did last year,” she said. “If we get less than $1.405 billion for Vote Health next week, then we’re going backwards.”

Last year, the increase was $1.37b, bringing total health spending in 2025/26 to $32.7b.

Rosenberg, a former Council of Trade Unions economist and now part of Kaitiaki Hauora, explained: “So this is the amount that would just keep the current health system running at its current state, which many people would say is running down. It is enough to meet costs and population pressures.”

As Budgets tend to cover four-year periods, two previous budgets have now promised another $1.37b increase this year to cover what the government describes as “funding for core demographic, volume and price pressures for frontline health services delivered by Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora to maintain current health policy settings”.

Last year was a “record investment in healthcare”, Health Minister Simeon Brown said at the time.

But this number falls short of what these economists say is needed to fully fund the current system – and Rosenberg said it would leave any new initiatives unfunded.

How do we compare to other countries?

New Zealand usually spends less than the OECD average on health, aside from one year during the Covid pandemic, where our spending peaked later than the rest.

According to Rosenberg and Cumming’s report, Vote Health – that is, the portion of the Budget going towards health spending – was currently $1.1 billion below average.

But between 2010 and 2017, that gap was as wide as $3.2 billion per year on average (in 2025 dollars).

University of Auckland health policy professor Tim Tenbensel said when compared to other high-income countries, New Zealand used to rank quite well, up until about 2009.

“And then as the 2010s progressed, we fell behind, and we fell further and further and further behind over the course of that decade.”

There had been some significant increases in Budget 2022, Tenbensel said, “but now early indications are that the gap is opening up again”.

The UK was a useful comparator. They, too, began to drop off in the 2010s, but New Zealand more steeply. In contrast, Australia’s health spend as a proportion of GDP had increased during the 2010s.

“You see the effect of that in workers choosing to go to Australia for better salaries, for example.”

Where should we spend it?

Currently, wages made up about two-thirds of the operational cost of health.

Health economics professor Paula Lorgelly said the best bang for buck would come from investing in primary care – “putting things much further upstream to avoid any kind of downstream costs”.

GenPro, the association for general practice owners, has already called for an increase in investment in primary care from the current six percent of total health funding up to 14, in-line with international WHO/OECD benchmarks.

Cumming agreed. She said with hospitals under a huge amount of strain, “the tendency is to put the money into there, but where we really need it is in primary care and prevention services so that we actually try to keep people well, out of hospital”.

Te Whatu Ora was currently spending just 1.76 percent ($510m) of its overall budget on “population health”, Cumming said – that included things like cancer screening, vaccinations, pandemic prepardness and health initiatives involving tobacco, alcohol, food, and physical activity.

“We would like to see it move up to five percent,” she said.

In Australia, that made up about 4.8 percent – with the caveat that it was often hard to know exactly what services other countries were counting in their estimates.

Evidence pointed to “very high cost-benefit ratios of spending on population health”, Cumming said. “You get back what you put in.”

Hauora Māori service spending also needed to go up, according to the report.

Current spending was 2.68 percent of the total Vote Health – or $773m – and the authors say that needs to increase to five percent to address current inequities.

How long would it take to see a difference?

Tenbensel said increases in funding could take up to 15 years to start showing effects in health outcomes.

Cumming explained increasing vaccination rates would have almost an immediate effect, but investment in tobacco, smoking, cardiovascular disease and diet would take a lot longer.

Cancer screening programmes would take somewhere in the middle, she said. “It’s not going to happen immediately, but it’s even more reason why we need to do it, because every year we leave it is another year that our population health is not doing great.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/21/projected-health-funding-falls-short-to-maintain-status-quo/

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