Developers are increasingly seeking to maintain control of embedded networks in apartments and that means both buyers and body corporates need to know what to watch out for, Auckland District Law Society president Joanna Pidgeon explains.

Advisers who have been the subject of regulatory action could have a hard time transitioning to the new regime.

A financial adviser has been fighting through the courts to reinstate his contracts with an insurer, which cancelled them because of his inappropriate behaviour.

Insurance advisers' commissions have come in for heavy criticism again, this time from the Reserve Bank. 

[UPDATED + COMMENTS] The Financial Markets Authority has issued a public warning about a registered financial adviser after dealer group Preferred NZ alerted the regulator about his dodgy practices.

Advisers say the Reserve Bank’s decision to loosen LVR restrictions will boost homebuyers, but warn tighter credit and loan servicing conditions will restrain volumes.

The Reserve Bank has loosened LVR restrictions, with changes coming into effect in January. Banks will be able to provide 20% of their owner-occupier loans to borrowers with a deposit of less than 20%. While lenders will be able to allocate 5% of new investor loans to borrowers with less than a 30% deposit. 

The Reserve Bank says it will ease LVR restrictions. Here's what it said with the release of today's Financial Stability Report.

 Satisfied customers should not be the measure for financial services firms to use to gauge their business conduct, FMA chief executive Rob Everett says.

 Investor lending remained flat in October while first home buyers continued their strong resurgence in the property market, latest RBNZ data shows.

AIA has announced that its combined New Zealand business will operate under the AIA brand.

Partners Life is boosting its medical premiums from the end of this year.

The Reserve Bank will publish its latest Financial Stability Report tomorrow, with all eyes on whether it will loosen LVR restrictions. Some economists "expect" loosening, but others say recent heat in the market could cause the central bank to hold off.

Smartshares is pointing to market wobbles in October as proof passive management outperforms in poor market conditions, too.