BUSINESS

New Zealand firms are in the spotlight for making it to the top 100 of the annual Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific Index. A list of the region's fastest growing technology firms was recently announced in Hong Kong with 40 Kiwi tech companies in the list, and 16 in the top 100.

There are a lot of choices for Christmas gifts meant for women. It can range from jewelry to makeup, clothes, shoes, bags, watches or even gadgets. However, due to the number of choices out there, it's difficult to choose which one to actually buy for women. The risk is that they may already have the gift you will be giving them. To help you with your shopping dilemma, here is a helpful Holiday 2013 Gift Guide featuring the Top 5 Gifts for Women.

The selling that began with some conviction late Thursday afternoon has persisted in the early part of trade on Friday, although the ASX 200 is recovering from intraday weakness as banks pare declines. The question hanging over the market in the afternoon session will be whether it can hold the lows that have been established or will sellers continue to test the resolve of the market and gun for the low of the day which currently sits at 5154.6.

Disney gave Adelaide’s ‘Frying Nemo’ until Friday to change its name

Let's face it, when it comes to gift giving, it's always difficult to find the perfect gift for the men in your life, whether he is a boyfriend, a husband, your dad, uncle or even brother. But, don't worry, here is a simple Holiday 2013 Gift Guide featuring the Top 5 Gifts for Men to give you some ideas on what to shop for this Christmas.

For the fifth day in a row the US has finished in the red.

In US economic news, weekly jobless claims (claims for unemployment insurance) fell by 23,000 to 298,000. The US economy grew at 3.6pct annual pace in the September quarter, up from the ´´flash´´ estimate of 2.8%. Factory orders fell by 0.9pct in October, close to forecasts. And according to Challenger, planned job layoffs fell from 45,730 to 45,314 in November.

The dispute of one of the Australian DJs who caused a nurse to commit suicide as a result of the infamous royal prank call has been resolved, South Cross Austereo said in a statement on Thursday.

It would be a bleak Christmas for Australian retailers as a survey of 1,000 Aussies by Mortgage Choice found that 40 per cent of the respondents plan to reduce their spending this yearend holiday compared to their 2012 spending.

Known for their disagreements on many issues, Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce and the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) are on the same side this time in seeking financial support from the Australian federal government to save the flag carrier from a financial crash.

By Greg PeelThe Dow fell 68 points or 0.4% while the S&P lost 0.4% to 1785 and the Nasdaq dropped 0.2%.

Only the ads that invoke extreme sensations really get the attention of consumers. That’s why the most memorable commercials ever played on air and online are mostly either funny or poignant. But a tyre company in Japan decided to take a different yet apparently as effective route by creating what the media now calls the scariest ad ever made.

The Australian sharemarket gradually extended its losses from around midday onward, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) slumping by 1.3 per cent following a flat start. The mining sector was the only thing limiting the losses for most of the day; however faded late in trade.

Billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn has reportedly submitted a proposal for Apple Inc to buy back $50 billion worth of stocks. According to CNBC, a source said Mr Icahn will present the stock buyback proposal during Apple's annual shareholders meeting. On Dec. 4, Mr Icahn posted on Twitter that he has informed Apple Inc of his intention to push for a vote for the company to increase its stock buyback program.

The Vuzix M100 Smart Glasses, which is Google Glass' main competitor, is now available for preorder for $1,000. Compared to the price of a Google Glass developer or Explorer edition which is reportedly $1,500 or around £985 or $1,449 AUD, the Vuzix M100 Smart Glasses is relatively cheaper.

HSBC’s Future of Retirement report says Aussie folks leave the highest inheritance to children

The Australian sharemarket is in the red, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) down by 0.5 per cent at lunch. Strength in the mining sector is helping minimise market losses, with the industry up 0.55 per cent, while a 1.2 per cent slump across the financials is holding back the market most.

It’s December 2013 and each day passes quickly until one day you realize, it’s Christmas Day already! Naturally, there’s a mad rush for buying gifts at this time of the year. So many choices, so little time! To help you narrow down the list of what to buy, especially for finicky children who happen to be girls, here is the Holiday 2013 Gift Guide featuring the Top 5 Toys for Girls in 2013.

As if he really needs a lot of money, NBA superstar Michael Jordan will not take anything less than $13 million for his 56,000 square foot mansion in Chicago, reported by TMZ.

Embattled Australian flag carrier Qantas will cut at least 1,000 jobs over the next 12 months as it struggles to keep afloat financially amid weak trading conditions and return on fares.

Christmas is fast approaching, with only a few days left before Dec 25, 2013. While a lot of people argue that Christmas is not just a time for giving gifts, it can't be denied that a huge part of it is still about shopping, wrapping presents and exchanging gifts. Since it's almost Christmastime, the mad rush of looking for gifts has already started. With there is a whole gamut of options for consumers out there, it can be quite confusing and a little hard to decide on what to give people,...

Equities continued to taper off as investors weighed the latest US data and its implications on tapering talk. The highlight was the ADP non-farm employment change which came in at a much better-than-expected 215,000 (versus 172,000 expected). There was also a very strong new home sales (up 25.4% in October and highest monthly percentage gain since 1980) reading and encouraging Beige Book commentary which helped add to the tapering argument. US treasury yields popped higher as we continue to get...

In US economic news, the ADP employment index showed that 215,000 private sector jobs were created in November, ahead of forecasts for a gain of 173,000. The trade deficit fell from US$42.97 billion to US$41.64bn in October. The ISM services index eased from 55.4 to 53.9 in November. And new home sales rose by 25.4% in October after falling by 6.6% in September.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed down 24 points or 0.2% while the S&P lost 0.1% to 1792 and the Nasdaq gained 0.

By Chris Weston, IG MarketsIt's been a disappointing tape in Asia, with Australian traders keeping one eye on the cricket, while there has been plenty on the stock side to focus on as well.

British Prime Minister David Cameron inked a deal during his three-day state visit to China the shipment of £45 million worth of pig semen. China hosts 50 per cent of the global population of pigs and bringing in semen from British pigs is expected to improve genetics of the animal that is a main source of protein for Chinese.

Apple's iPhone 5C is very popular among previous users of Android devices. According to a report from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, half of the customers who bought the iPhone 5C have switched from smartphone brands with Android OS.

The ASX200 shrugged off a 3 day losing streak even though third quarter GDP figures were below expectations. The market recovered initial losses driven by the notion that the slower rate of growth meant that whilst interest rates might not be cut any time soon, the risk is that they will remain at historically low levels for a longer period.

Apple Inc was granted a patent for facial recognition technology