Weekly briefs

Bookstore launched, Jobs wanted added to Jobline, NZ Equities get thumbs-up, Super announcement this week, National Mutual raises the target.

Sunday, December 13th 1998, 12:00AM

If you're looking for a book on investment, superannuation or financial planning try out Good Returns' new bookstore.
The store went live last week and offers readers a wide range of business titles, including all the text books required for Massey University's Diploma of Business Studies, financial planning course.
The addition of a bookstore to the site fits in with Good Returns' goal of being a one-stop information shop for people involved in or interested in the area of personal finance.

If you are looking for a book that is not listed in the bookstore, send an email through to bookstore@goodreturns.co.nz and we will do our best to find the title for you.
Also new to Good Returns this week is the inclusion of a work wanted section within the Jobline section.
This is the first of a number of planned enhancements to Jobline and it helps people to find a new position within the industry.

NZ equities given the thumbs-up
Sharebrokers Cavill White have given New Zealand equities the thumbs-up saying there are strong signs of improved corporate profitability going into 1999.
Cavill White managing director Don Turkington says that New Zealand equities looked cheap "by almost any standard", and that the market looked set to enjoy a sustained rally.
"That conclusion must, of course, be tempered by what is happening in the rest of the world, but monetary easing by many central banks may underpin the New Zealand situation," he says.
He says that the combination of low short-term interest rates and a growing economy have in the past been "explosive for equities".
The global scene looked less grim with two of New Zealand's main trading partners, Australia and the United States, continuing to record strong growth.

Super on the menu
The Government is, this week, expected to make some announcements on superannuation.
The Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, last week, announced a list of seven strategic policy areas, which included superannuation.
Good Returns understands while super has been earmarked as a key area, the government has yet to set any policies in this area.
The announcement is likely to relate to plans for a Superannuation 2000 taskforce.
Other priority areas include creating a strongly-growing and internationally competitive economy, the encouragement of innovation and new technology, an enhancement of the role of the individual, strengthened families and communities, the breaking of cycles of disadvantage and a search for new ways to protect the natural environment.

National Mutual raises target
Listed financial services group National Mutual Holdings has upped its cost savings target from A$100 million to $150 million.
The group began a programme to reduce its annual cost base last year and has already achieved savings of $43 million in the first 12 months.
Much of the cost savings will be achieved by reducing the group's Australian and New Zealand workforce by up to 30 percent and most of these cutbacks will be achieved through natural attrition rather than retrenchments.
Money saved will be channeled into growing the group's distribution capacity, product development and other areas of revenue generation.

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