This week could be called the week of bail-outs. First it was the US government saving AIG from, what reports suggest, a fatal situation. Meanwhile back home rich-listers Mark Hotchin and Eric Watson stepped up to the plate with up to $96 million for Hanover Finance.

Now that interest rates have started along their downward path the recommended borrowing strategy is to go short. By short we are talking six months or one year.

Taranaki

Standard and Poor’s has reconfirmed the ratings of AMP Life and Asteron’s parent company Suncorp Metway, but changed its view on their outlooks.

A New Zealand website has won an award for being the first in the world to offer a online underwriting.

American International Group (AIG) is being bailed out by the United States government to the tune of US$85 billion.

Home loan rates are currently subject to two opposing forces and it is not clear if there will be one decisive winner, or if the two will cancel each other out.

Central Region

American International Group (AIG) is being bailed out by the United States government to the tune of US$85 billion.

Southern Cross Healthcare has made three key appointments.

Sovereign, has again achieved the overall number one position for adviser satisfaction in the recent annual intermediary survey carried out by Australian firm WA Taylor.

Napier

While American International Group’s Standard and Poor’s rating has been put on CreditWatch with negative implications the rating of the New Zealand business remains unchanged.

The clock is ticking on whether or not the Financial Advisers Bill (FAB) will make it through Parliament before it rises for the election.

Auckland