George Kerr, one of the men behind transforming Spicers before its sale to AXA, has emerged as a key player in the new Thames Water offer being made to investors.

Christchurch

Auckland

People confident house prices will rise, Tower shareholders targeted, Kingfish bouyant, Unlisted grows.

MFS has added another of the firms associated Northplan to its chain of advisory firms. It has entered into a contract to acquire Westplan Financial Services which is based in Hawera.

The Professional Advisers Association says the proposed changes to the taxation of life insurance products will have a negative impact on the industry.

South Canterbury joins up with Kelt, Compass rating reviewed, PPCS bond yields leap in `scary' signal, Nationwide goes unconditional on Hanover.

Sharebroker Goldman Sachs JB Were is warning that if bond rates continue to increase it will be harder for the sharemarket to perform.

Auckland

Standard & Poor's believes that the current trend of mergers and acquisitions in the New Zealand finance company sector will continue and ultimately should have a strengthening effect on the industry, lessening some industry risks that are currently apparent.

Adrienne Smith has resigned as the general manager of home loans at Sovereign to take up a newly created role as chief operating officer at NZ Finance.

UPDATED: The Professional Advisers Association has strengthened one of its key membership benefits by negotiating significantly lower professional indemnity insurance premiums for its members.

Auckland