The final battle: Hipkins vs Luxon

Good Morning,

Hipkins and Luxon trade blows in the final leaders' debate, Vero handed record $3.9 million penalty for making false and misleading statements to customers, Sayers wanted to sell PwC’s consulting business for $1b, Goldman Strikes Deal to Sell GreenSky Unit to Sixth Street Group and Birkenstock Falls Almost 13% as US Trading Debut Flops.

Let's jump in.

Before The Bell

Markets

• Asian shares rally as markets wager on Fed pivot; US inflation in focus (RT)

News Summary

• Hipkins and Luxon trade blows in the final leaders' debate (Stuff)

• Rental prices jump 7.2% to second-highest rate on record (Stuff)

• Vero handed record $3.9 million penalty for making false and misleading statements to customers (Stuff)

• ‘Now is time for war’: Israel moves closer to invasion (AFR)

• Dollar drifts near two-week low ahead of inflation data (RT)

• Carillion: Record fine for KPMG over 'exceptional' failure (BBC)

• UK banks see less lending in Q4, expect more defaults: BoE survey (RT)

• Sayers wanted to sell PwC’s consulting business for $1b (AFR)

• Annual food prices are easing, but could fuel costs force them to rise again? (Stuff)

• US Space Force Pauses Generative AI Use Based on Security Concerns (BBG)

• Billionaire Investor Paul Tudor Jones Calls Geopolitics ‘Most Threatening’ He’s Seen (BBG)

Deal Flow

Investments / M&A

• Birkenstock Falls Almost 13% as US Trading Debut Flops (BBG)

• Goldman Strikes Deal to Sell GreenSky Unit to Sixth Street Group (BBG)

• Pilbara Minerals boss says it cannot compete with Chinese refiners (AFR)

• Apollo Funds Agree to Buy Wagamama Owner for $623 Million (BBG)

• Pressure mounts on Fletcher over Aussie pipe failures (NBR)

• Air NZ guides HY earnings between $180m and $230m (NBR)

Daily Picks

• Rugby World Cup: The burning questions ahead of All Blacks v Ireland quarterfinal (Stuff)

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