Dec 20, 2017  -  VALLEY CENTER, Calif., Dec. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Concierge Technologies, Inc. (OTC Ticker: CNCG) today announced that their wholly owned California subsidiary Kahnalytics, Inc. has acquired all of the assets and business of Original Sprout LLC, a California Limited Liability Company ("OS"). As of today, Kahnalytics has commenced operations under the fictitious business name "Original Sprout" from its location in San Clemente, CA.

Original Sprout, a manufacturer and distributor of clean, non-toxic, all-natural hair care and skin products, was founded in 2003 by master hair stylist Inga Tritt. Since that time the company's distribution has grown to include major grocery store chains, professional salons, health and beauty stores, family resorts, and hundreds of individually owned retail and Internet outlets. Originally conceived as a non-toxic baby shampoo, the product line has been expanded over the years to include an adult hair and skin care line, specialties for teens, and additions such as sun screen and lotions. The complete line remains true to its heritage of all-natural, non-toxic, ingredients. The brand is well recognized and in use by caring mothers, celebrities and royalty alike world-wide.

The purchase price, subject to certain adjustment provisions and staged payments, was paid in cash by Kahnalytics with funds advanced by Concierge Technologies under an interest-free loan. For further details please refer to the Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission by Concierge Technologies on December 19, 2017.

David Neibert, President of Kahnalytics and COO of Concierge Technologies, remarked "We have been working to close this transaction since first signing a letter of intent on May 1, 2017. Since that time Original Sprout has operated in consistent fashion and continued to grow its sales revenues. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Concierge Technologies, Original Sprout will further benefit from our attention to bottom-line profitability and access to additional resources for marketing outreach and product development. The current staff of Original Sprout will remain with the company and, over-all, the transition will be a seamless event for our customers. Original Sprout is a remarkable company and Inga Tritt has created a remarkable product. I hope our shareholders take the time to investigate our website at www.originalsprout.com and to try our products available at select retailers or online. Many mainstream hair care products claim to be "all natural", but Original Sprout is the real deal. Try the products, you'll be as impressed as we are."

About Concierge Technologies, Inc.

Founded in 1996, Concierge Technologies, Inc. today is a global conglomerate with operating businesses in financial services, food manufacturing, and security systems with facilities located in the United States, New Zealand, and Canada. Concierge's common stock is listed as "CNCG" on the OTC QB Exchange.

This release may contain "forward-looking statements" that include information relating to future events and future financial and operating performance. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which that performance or those results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time they are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting Concierge Technologies or its subsidiary companies, please refer to the Company's recent Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which are available at the Company's website (www.conciergetechnology.net) or at www.sec.gov.

SOURCE Concierge Technologies, Inc.

Dec 20, 2017  - Justice Robert Dobson and Professor Martin Richardson drew a line between online content aggregators and distributors such as Facebook and Google and news organisations Fairfax New Zealand and NZME in rejecting the publishers' appeal to merge.

Among Justice Dobson and Professor Richardson's findings in the 100-page High Court judgment, they backed the Commerce Commission's decision to turn down a proposed merger of NZME and Fairfax NZ, which was touted as the only way the country's dominant newspaper publishers could stand up to the likes of Facebook and Google eating into their online advertising revenue. The publishers claimed the online giants would remain a significant competitive constraint on a merged business, something the commission didn't believe in its decision to reject the transaction and that view was upheld in the High Court in Wellington.

The judge and professor said the commission's approach distinguishing a difference between producers of news, and collators and redistributors was relevant and that the regulator was right to exclude the likes of Facebook and Google in assessing the competitiveness of online national news production, which were unlikely to be a "meaningful constraint" on the merged publisher.

"Observed patterns of behaviour suggest that readers are likely to assess content from sites operated both by producers and by collators," the judgment said. "In seeking out reliable original news, visitors to collators' sites are likely to discriminate in their level of attention, placing greater credence and therefore spending more time on items from reputable producers of news."

Justice Dobson accepted the collators and distributors helped promote plurality of voices by inviting readers to access a wide range of news sources, however a distinction between production and distribution was still necessary, because "fifteen recyclers of the product of two producers of news are still only making two views available".

The publishers talked up the constraint caused by Google and Facebook, pointing to the two-sided market of competing for an audience as well as vying for advertiser dollars. Traditional publishers have struggled to respond to Google and Facebook hoovering up online advertising having devalued their print operations by freely distributing their content online.

While the online threat was front and centre of the firms' application, online ad sales only account for a fraction of the publishers' combined revenue which is still largely derived from traditional print advertising.

Among the regulator's concerns in rejecting the merger was the prospect of the dominant publisher introducing a subscription model to access a news website, better known as a paywall. NZME and Fairfax rejected that analysis, saying a merged entity would probably not introduce a paywall because of the unprofitable experience internationally. While Justice Dobson and Professor Richardson didn't accept that approach, saying the local environment was different, they did see the failure of paywalls internationally as compelling.

"We take a different view from the commission and cannot rate the prospect of a paywall being introduced as a sufficient likelihood to take it into account as conduct the appellants would likely undertake as a result of an SLC (substantially lessening competition) in the online reader market," they said.

| Source: ShareChat  ||  December 20, 2017   |||

Dec 20, 2017  - Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd said on Monday it had signed a contract for Leighs Construction Ltd to construct the fourth building on its 42ha Auckland campus at Maurice Paykel Place, East Tamaki.

The new building will have a gross floor area of 35,700m² and consist of a mix of research & development, pilot manufacturing and warehousing areas. Groundworks have been substantially completed and construction will start in late January, with an expected operational date of 2020.

2300 employees – over half Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s global workforce of 4100 – work at the campus’s existing 3 buildings. Supply chain, environment & facilities general manager Jonti Rhodes said the new building would accommodate expected growth until about 2023.

“The blend of R&D, manufacturing & warehousing that we have in our existing buildings gives us a very open working environment and helps us work collaboratively across functional groups. It’s a unique, modern way of working that we are looking forward to developing further in the new building,” he said.

The company has also started a building programme in Tijuana, Mexico, where construction of a second manufacturing facility is underway with an anticipated completion date of late 2018. The company has 950 employees in Tijuana, where it’s been manufacturing in a leased facility since 2010.

The total cost of the building projects in New Zealand & Mexico is expected to be about $200 million.

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare designs, manufactures & markets products & systems for use in respiratory care, acute care, surgery & the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. The company’s products are sold in over 120 countries.

| The BDR report   || december 20, 2017    |||

Dec 20, 2017  - New Zealand's seasonally adjusted current account deficit for the September 2017 quarter narrowed to $1.3 billion, Stats NZ said today. This is $183 million smaller than the June quarter's deficit and was driven by a fall in imported goods.

The current account balance records the value of New Zealand’s transactions with the rest of the world in goods, services, and income. When we have a current account deficit, it implies foreigners earn more from New Zealand than we earn from overseas economies. It is an important measure of the health of the economy.

Goods deficit smallest since June 2014

The shortfall between the value of exports and imports in the September quarter was much smaller than in the June quarter – the seasonally adjusted goods deficit was $26 million, down from the June quarter’s $437 million deficit and the smallest since the June 2014 quarter.

In the June 2017 quarter, the goods imports recorded its highest level – driven by imported vehicles. This was offset by strong exports in dairy products. In the September 2017 quarter, imports of goods fell $470 million while exports of goods fell $58 million.

"Although we still imported a larger value of goods than we exported, it is the reduction in imports that caused the smaller deficit this quarter compared with last quarter," international manager Daria Kwon said.

"Our terms of trade also reached an all-time high in the latest quarter with import prices falling more than export prices".

Overseas merchandise trade: September 2017 has more detail.

The seasonally adjusted services surplus was a steady $1.2 billion for the September 2017 quarter, $91 million narrower than for the June 2017 quarter. The seasonally adjusted goods and services surplus increased to $1.2 billion in the latest quarter – up from a surplus of $840 million in the June 2017 quarter.

Income deficit increases

The primary and secondary income balance measures the income on investments, in and out of the country, that foreign investors make in New Zealand and that Kiwis make overseas. It also includes transfers (goods, services, or money) between New Zealand and the rest of the world.

The combined primary and secondary income deficit increased $136 million in the September 2017 quarter – up to $2.5 billion.

The primary income net outflow increased $312 million in the September 2017 quarter, to reach $2.4 billion. New Zealand businesses earned less income from their overseas subsidiaries this quarter, while the income earned by foreign-owned businesses was relatively steady.

Secondary income net outflow decreased $175 million – down to $85 million in the September 2017 quarter, partly offsetting the increase in the primary income deficit. New Zealand's outflow of secondary income consists of transactions where we do not receive a financial benefit in return, mainly from foreign aid.

Annual current account deficit same level as 2016

The current account deficit for the year ended September 2017 was $7.1 billion, the same level as for the year ended September 2016. A $659 million increase in the primary income deficit was the main driver behind the current account deficit, but this was partly offset by a $378 million increase to the goods and services surplus.

For the year ended September 2017 the current account deficit as a ratio of GDP was 2.6 percent. It was 2.7 percent of GDP for the year ended September 2016. The annual current account deficit has remained between 2 and 4 percent of GDP since 2010.

| A STATSNZ release  ||  December 20, 2017   |||

Dec 20, 2017 - NZX will change the price structure of the local stock market in the second half of next year as part of a new strategy aimed at reinvigorating the domestic capital market.

The Wellington-based company will bring its trading and clearing pricing model into line with global practice, which will give participants greater price transparency when negotiating brokerage and services, and stoke on-market liquidity, it said in a statement. NZX will provide details of the move when reporting its 2017 annual result in February and have the new model in place in the second half of 2018.

"NZX is committed to implementing a pricing and rule structure that better supports the needs of our customers, and is consistent with global best practice in facilitating greater on-market liquidity, and driving greater transparency for investors," head of markets development and clearing Benjamin Phillips said. "These changes will further lift the integrity of the New Zealand market."

The stock market operator has gone back to basics in a strategic reset in an effort to revive interest in the exchange and boost the level of trading done through the bourse rather than in off-market deals.

Part of the strategy refresh is to introduce a broader suite of products, and NZX today said it will consult with market participants to develop new tools to drive greater transparency and liquidity on-market and will use a system upgrade in 2019 to meet those requirements.

NZX started trialling a tailored trade pricing structure in July to attract local and international electronic trading flows. That pilot has increased on-market trading by 13 percent compared to the prior period.

The shares last traded at $1.10 and have gained 4.8 percent this year. The stock is rated an average 'hold' based on three recommendations compiled by Reuters, with a median price target of $1.18.

Source:  ShareChat  ||  December 20, 2017   |||

Dec 20,  2017  - The incoming government has hit the ground running but will face many obstacles in 2018 as it seeks to sustain a stable economy, leading New Zealand economic forecaster BERL says. The Treasury’s half-year economic and fiscal update had all the hallmarks of a sizable mini-Budget, BERL chief economist Dr Ganesh Nana says. The update confirms pre-election calculations and conclusions that, while a tight fit with little wriggle room, there are no multi-billion-dollar holes and the package is consistent with the incoming government’s self-imposed Budget responsibility rules. “The other big shift signalled by the incoming government relates to setting an infrastructure and investment spending focus for economic activity. The current cycle of New Zealand’s economic activity remains dominated by household and housing related spending. “The government projects residential investment spending growth to surge to over six percent in the 2019-20 June year and reach eight percent in the following year. Similarly, infrastructure and non-housing investment spending growth lifts 5.5 percent in the June 2018-19 year, followed thereafter by six percent and 5.1 percent annual growth rates. “This is reinforced by the mini-Budget forecasts that indicate $41.7billion of capital spending over the coming five years, compared to a pre-election figure of $30.5billion. While $5.5billion of this increase is accounted for by extra contributions to the NZ Superannuation Fund, the planned additional $5.7billion of capital spend will be a sizable impetus to building and construction activity. “This infrastructure investment and building activity are set to be the cornerstone of the growth cycle over the immediate future. Primary risks are in the capacity of the sector to sustain this level of activity growth. “This attempted shift, away from population-based demand-driven economic growth, towards a supply-side focus for activity is undoubtedly ambitious. New Zealand’s productivity debacle appears somewhat intractable – with the level of labour productivity now back to where it was 10 years earlier. “Even if successful, it will take some time for such a shift to bear fruit. In the interim there will be many obstacles, as was experienced by the Key government and its ambitious plans to lift exports to 40% of GDP.” Dr Nana says some economic commentators are making much of the collapse in business confidence. It is pertinent to note that the same business confidence indicator collapsed on the election of the Clark government in late-1999; and subsequently soared on the election of the Key government in late 2008, he says. “Real GDP growth averaged barely two percent per annum and just three Budget surpluses over the latter period (compared to over three percent per annum and nine budget surpluses over the former period). While we wouldn’t want to suggest that low business confidence causes high GDP growth, it is difficult not to question just what so-called business confidence indicators are indeed measuring. “More sobering is the concern that some businesses could talk themselves into a funk over a change of government and threaten to muddy the prospective economic horizon. “We expect the risk of a slowing in activity growth over the short term sees GDP growth for the current 2017-18 March year dip under three percent. However, driven by the upswing in government investment, we see growth back above three percent for the 2019 and 2020 March years. “We also expect the composition twist in growth to see some slowing in consumer spending growth. However, the families’ income package is expected to bolster spending countering the confidence and wealth effects of easing house price growth. “The New Zealand scene continues to be dominated by the long-standing story of high, increasing, and unsustainable private household sector debt, currently at over 167 percent of the sector’s annual disposable income,” Dr Nana says.

| A MakeLemonade release  ||  December 20,  2017   |||

Dec 20, 2017  -  SBN’s work on New Zealand’s transition to a circular economy has received a vital boost. Fuji Xerox, 3R Group and Auckland Council have become Foundation Partners of the newly launched Circular Economy Accelerator.  The announcement represents a significant investment in scaling and accelerating New Zealand’s transition to a circular economy.

SBN has been working in this area for the last few years. A circular economy is where the lifecycle of materials is maximised, usage optimised and end of life materials reutilised to create a continuous flow.

The new Circular Economy Accelerator launches today. It brings together all SBN’s work on this initiative on a new platform. It will inspire, influence and enable New Zealand organisations to benefit from this globally emergent way of thinking and working.

The new Going Circular Award at this year’s NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards was sponsored by Auckland Council. It received the most entries of any award in SBN’s 15-year history. Project lead James Griffin is delighted by the early-stage investment, which has enabled the launch of the Circular Economy Accelerator.

“This marks a significant step-change in our efforts to scale and speed up this transition,” he says. “It’s also a tribute to the foresight of the companies involved. The Circular Economy is the economy of the future, but it is emerging right now. The companies that get to grips with it early will form the next wave of global success stories.”

Projects such as the Circular Economy Model Office and the Circular Economy Opportunity for Auckland initiative will now be driven on by the Accelerator. The new resource will also provide knowledge, support, connections, events and inspiration.

Peter Thomas is Managing Director of Fuji Xerox New Zealand. He says:

“Fuji Xerox is committed to supporting a circular economy both in New Zealand and across the Asia Pacific region. At Fuji Xerox New Zealand, we believe that our Ministry for the Environment-accredited Product Stewardship Scheme is the first step to a circular economy. We take back our equipment and refurbish it to extend its life. At end of life, we recycle over 99.5% of the equipment and toner cartridges we get back.

“We believe in innovation and working in partnership with our customers and our suppliers. That's why we are delighted to be the first Foundation Partners of the Circular Economy Accelerator. It will be a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and inspiration to make NZ a circular economy.”

Adele Rose is Chief Executive of 3R Group. She says “We’re proud to take a leadership position along with Fuji Xerox, Auckland Council and SBN. Moving from a ‘take, make, waste’ model to a circular economy opens up an exciting new way of doing business. It brings with it a wealth of opportunities for New Zealand companies. It will take a collaborative approach, which we fully embrace as we work with small and large businesses alike on reimagining our resource use.”

Parul Sood is Auckland Council’s General Manager, Waste Solutions. She says industry-led product stewardship is a vital component in efforts to reduce the volume of commercial waste going to landfill.

“Auckland Council is committed to promoting the principles of Circular Economy. We are delighted to be partnering with SBN, Government and industry leaders in this work.”

James adds: “The circular economy represents a viable and low carbon economic solution for the world. New Zealand has the opportunity to demonstrate leadership in the inevitable transition to the circular economy from the outdated linear model.

“There are some exciting plans for 2018, including a major event and new systems innovation projects. We look forward to working with all our partners and SBN members on this.”

Go to circulareconomy.org.nz now to find out more.

| A sustainable.org release  ||  December 20, 2017   |||

Dec 19, 2017  -  Japanese-listed Itoham Yonekyu Holdings has received Overseas Investment Office approval to increase its shareholding of Anzco Foods to 100 percent, from the 65 percent it already owned. 

Anzco was New Zealand's second-largest meat company and fifth-largest exporter in 2016, with turnover of $1.5 billion and 3,000 employees. It was already 83.3 percent overseas owned, with 16.8 percent of the company held by Japanese marine products company Nippon Suisan Kaisha, known as Nissui, and the remaining 18.2 percent owned by the company's chair Graeme Harrison and management. Harrison will step down at the company's next annual meeting in March, having signalled his plans for retirement in 2015.

Itoham Yonekyu has said it won't make any significant changes to Anzco's business operations in the foreseeable future, Anzco said. Itoham, a listed company, is 39 percent owned by Mitsubishi Corp.

Anzco is part of two primary growth partnerships, the $58 million FoodPlus red meat project and the Red Meat Profit Partnership. The new government has said the future funding of the PGP programme, which is funded by government and industry, is under review.

The company said the buyout was "a strong vote of confidence in the New Zealand meat sector" and is an important part of Itoham Yonekyu's plan to grow its business internationally, especially in Asian markets outside Japan. Anzco will be able to "capitalise on synergy benefits and efficiencies from the considerable experience and networks of Itoham Yonekyu and Mitsubishi Corp", it said.

| Source ShareChat  ||  december 19,  2017   |||

Dec 19, 2017  - The Reserve Bank today released a Bulletin article by Dr Chris Hunt, ‘Independence with accountability: financial system regulation and the Reserve Bank’. This article discusses the main reasons for delegating certain financial system-related functions and objectives to an agency that sits at arm’s length from government. The article outlines the Reserve Bank’s role as New Zealand’s single integrated prudential regulator and supervisor, and the important accountability arrangements that sit alongside the tasks delegated by Parliament to the Reserve Bank. Read the article: Independence with accountability: financial system regulation and the Reserve Bank.

| A RBNZ release  ||  December 19, 2017   |||

Dec 19, 2017  - Bartercard NZ chief executive John Scott has just been appointed CEO across both New Zealand and Australia. He takes up his new dual role immediately and will split his time across both countries, while retaining Auckland as his home base.

"Bartercard International undertook a detailed review of its operations earlier this year and made the logical decision to combine the trans-Tasman operations into one business unit", says Scott, who has been with the company five years after a long career in business finance and data.

Scott joined Bartercard New Zealand as CEO five years ago and, in that time, has refocused the business with a vision and values that aim to build sales growth for members, empower Bartercard employees; and set in place a strategy to guide all decision-making and investment. New Zealand has embarked on a journey of digital transformation and is leading the way when it comes to technological advances and investment - this will remain a key focus over the next few years.

"With this foundation, we have implemented more than 100 new initiatives and developed key technology platforms to help simplify and expand trading across our network", he says. "This has led to revenue doubling in the online distribution of products and services in New Zealand in the past 12 months and we will be introducing the same systems into Australia in April next year".

Bartercard New Zealand recently celebrated 25 years in New Zealand and more than $4 billion worth of trading. The company now has 15,000 cardholders nationwide and more than 6,000 active member businesses.

For more information, or to arrange an interview with John Scott, please contact: Tina Burns, National Marketing and Communications Manager, Tel: 09 414 6809, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Anna Herd, Senior Communications Advisor, Tel: 021 187 7090, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About Bartercard: Following Bartercard’s creation in Australia in 1991, Bartercard New Zealand became the first international licensee a year later. Since its inception, the Bartercard Trade Exchange has grown to more than 6,000 member businesses across New Zealand trading around $150 million worth of goods and services outside the cash economy each year. The top five sectors most active in Bartercard NZ are professional services, hospitality, automotive, construction and building, and food and drink.

Bartercard operates in New Zealand, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, France, India, South Africa and Thailand and plans to expand into Israel next. Last year, parent company BPS Technology Ltd also bought Entertainment Publications Australia and New Zealand, which produces the very popular Entertainment™ Book.

| A Bartercard release  ||  December 2017   |||