UPDATED: Accountancy firm Ernst and Young has come out swinging against the fair dividend rate (FDR) tax regime for international investments. But the Minister of Revenue swings back.

A code of practice is to be introduced to govern home equity release schemes to avoid some of the problems these products have run into in other markets.

New report on tax changes out, Barramundi off to a flyer, ING closes $600 mill fund.

Instant Finance has been given a B3 ‘Investment Grade’ rating by the local successor to global corporate credit rating agency Rapid Ratings.

ING has finally won the FundSource Fund Manager of the year award after years of being a finalist.

The official KiwiSaver website http://www.kiwisaver.govt.nz/ is now live, providing information on the long term saving scheme that includes provision for first home subsidies.

The Reserve Bank has elected to keep the official cash rate at 7.25%, although some economists expected it to rise today.

Australian company Suncorp has reached agreement to buy Promina, which owns Asteron, Guardian Trust, Vero and Tyndall in New Zealand. Also, David Chaplin provides details on Suncorp - a company largely unknown in New Zealand.

Liontamer’s latest capital protected fund is a little different than earlier ones as it has traded off some of the “booster” performance for the ability to allocate the portfolio with “perfect hindsight”.

Allied Prime Finance, the group formed following Allied Farmers takeover of Prime Finance, has rolled out its first investment statement and prospectus.

The pressure on mortgage rates has finally shown with a range of lenders increasing their fixed rates in the past few days.