South Canterbury Finance, the finance company owned by Allan Hubbard, halted allotments under its debenture programme and plans to issue a new prospectus pending its capital review and the extension of the Deposit Guarantee Scheme.

Wellington

Nationwide

Sovereign has appointed international life insurance executive Charles Anderson as its new head.

Commodity prices came under pressure throughout 2008 as the world fell into recession and global demand dried up; however, commodities are now regaining value again - what's behind this recent bounce and is it sustainable?

Manukau City Council reopens bond issue; All quiet on the deposit front (for now).

Grant Baker of Business Bakery has joined the board of Dorchester Pacific as a non-executive director.

Several banks are playing down the risk of the housing market overheating again soon, with BNZ Capital suggesting it will take "an awful lot to blow a bigger bubble from here".

Westpac has cut some of its short term home loan interest rates with the biggest cut being made to its revolving credit product.

Pyne Gold Corporation (PGC) has announced three senior management appointments, as the group moves closer to becoming a publicly-listed registered bank and asset management company.

KiwiSaver SRI option ‘a spectacular flop’; AIG become AIA (again); Infiniti Capital makes first move into Australia; Retirement Commission rolls out new financial literacy tools for schools.

Pyne Gould has made two senior management appointments as part of its plan to become a publicly listed registered bank and asset management company.