President-elect Donald Trump's latest policy announcements continue to have an impact on capital markets.

Trump's pick of Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary sent long-term Government bond yields lower and the US share market higher - as investors felt more confident in a 'seasoned' choice taking on the role.

However, his threated tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico created a divided response among investors.

Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly unpacked the 'mixed' reactions to Trump's latest announcements.

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The National Public Health Service is exactly what's wrong with this country.

The Health Minister, who shouldn't have had to, intervened in their submission to the district council looking at the application for McDonald's in Wanaka.

Why was the health service offering a submission? Because the council asked them to.

So who is more at fault (the answer is of course both of them), the council for creating work and waste, or the service for creative work and waste?

The health service, among other things, talk of health. They talked of health in the wildest of contexts, like the World Health Organisation context, which essentially means anything can be dragged into the health sphere if you are determined.

And my word, were they determined.

They won't be in future because Shane Reti told them to stop wasting everyone's time.

The irony of the outcome is the submission wasn’t even correct, hinting perhaps that these people have little, if any, knowledge of what they are actually doing and simply fill their days with pointless exercises.

They sighted Te Tiriti of course. What Te Tiriti has to do with fries and a chocolate shake, I have no idea, and I suspect they don’t either. But that is why all this is so criminal.

TeTiriti is everywhere for no particular purpose. Its overreach has reached the point of absurdity.

So hundreds of submissions, days of hearing, the Treaty and a Government department admonished by the minister. That is why nothing gets done and that is why the country is in the state it is.

These people want to sell a hamburger. They want to employ locals, they want to contribute to the growth of the community and they want to pay their tax.

They simply want to do business.

Why is the industry and apparatus in not doing business so vast, so complicated, so expensive and so wasteful?

And who is blowing it up?

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More details have emerged in the wake of SolarZero’s shock liquidation, which affected 160 employees.

The company revealed on Tuesday that the business was unable to continue trading, citing 'unsustainable operating losses and liquidity constraints'.

Former employees have since spoken out against the company - and one of them, Mike, has unveiled some concerns ahead of a planned protest tomorrow.

"The main thing we want to try and get across is - we were made redundant 4pm on Tuesday, no redundancy, no notice period, no holiday pay, we have a significant number of our staff that live week by week."

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The OCR was slashed by 50 basis points today - but some markets believe it could have gone lower.

Some experts believed a chunkier 75 point cut was on the way before the Reserve Bank took its summer break.

Milford Asset Management Portfolio Manager Katlyn Parker unpacked the response further.

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Many mortgage holders will be relieved to hear that the OCR has been brought down by an addition 50 basis points.

Despite this, one expert is warning that borrowers might need to keep their enthusiasm about the interest rates in check.

NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained that there were other factors impacting interest rates.

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There's questions over what will come next for the OCR after today's 50 basis point cut.

The Reserve Bank has hinted more cuts will come in the new year.

However, Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen has warned this might not be the right approach.

"A lot of economic forecasters are wondering - when do we get back to those more normal and considered steps, given that the economy is already starting to show some early signs of turning around?"

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Homeowners can expect some relief - as the Reserve Bank cuts the OCR down in its final update of the year.

The central bank has slashed the rate 50 basis points today - to sit on 4.25 percent.

It's now forecasting 4.1 percent by March next year, 3.6 percent by the end of next year, with an endpoint of 3.1 percent by March 2027.

ZB political correspondent Barry Soper says Governor Adrian Orr has warned this will depend on how things track - as the economy is in for a slow recovery.

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Some positive news for mortgage holders.

The Reserve Bank has cut the Official Cash Rate another 50 basis points to 4.25 percent.

ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank and The Cooperative Bank have all lowered their rates in response.

NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann says the central bank is pointing to a few more cuts over the next six months.

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