D&B (NYSE: DNB), the world's leading source of commercial information and insight on businesses, today announced it has acquired a member of the D&B Worldwide Network, privately held Dun & Bradstreet Australia Holdings Limited, the leading credit and information services provider in Australia and New Zealand, for approximately $205 million in cash.

Cash flow pressures are showing signs of abating, with New Zealand businesses improving their payment behaviours during the June quarter. The latest business payment figures reveal that payment days are now close to a week quicker than they were during the height of the Global Financial Crisis and further improvements could be on the horizon.

The Reserve Bank's recent interest rate rise has hit New Zealand households, with one in two indicating that further increases in interest rates will negatively impact household finances and 36 percent saying they will be forced to turn to credit to pay for otherwise unaffordable expenses in the coming months.

Consumers, small business and credit providers will all benefit from new creditreporting laws that will increase the amount of information available to lenders.

One in four New Zealanders have revealed they will pay bills late over the next 12 months, with a staggering 20 percent indicating they may even skip a mortgage repayment. These findings come from Dun & Bradstreet's latest Consumer Payment Priorities Study, which reveals that many New Zealanders are unaware of the ramifications of paying their bills late.

Close to 20,000 New Zealand firms had their risk profile revised in the first three months of 2010, according to new research released today by credit reporting agency Dun & Bradstreet.

New Zealand firms face the prospect of renewed cash flow pressures in the months ahead, according to the latest business-to-business trade payment figures released today by credit reporting agency Dun & Bradstreet.

Sixteen countries around the globe have had their country ratings downgraded since the start of 2010 while five countries have been upgraded, demonstrating that economic and commercial risk are still prevalent despite signs the world economy continues to recover from the global credit crisis.

Kiwis continue to face financial difficulties despite the economic recovery, with three in ten (29 percent) expecting they will need to use their credit card to pay for otherwise unaffordable expenses in the coming months and 28 percent concerned about their expenditure over Christmas.

The payment terms of New Zealand firms have stalled, putting an end to three consecutive quarters of recovery however; further improvements are expected in the months ahead.

The risk of sluggish and weak growth this year is becoming increasingly apparent despite the healthy pace of expansion that is occurring in the global economy entering 2010. Consequently, more than 60 countries around the world are expected to record lower output in real terms in 2010 than they did prior to the crisis.