Christchurch

New equity release tool, Task Force discussion forum launched, Deemed rate of return increases, Dorchester's advisory and insurance businesses underperform, BNZ issue over-subscribed.

The Bank of New Zealand is resuming discounting campaign with home loans, this time extending it to include three-year rates as well as two-year rates. However two other banks have launched their own campaigns.

The government has responded to the Law Commission’s review of the life insurance sector and kicked most of its suggestions into touch.

The ubiquitous BDM or business development manager is a thing of the past according to TOWER sales and distribution manager Jeff Page.

The FPIA have welcomed the Options Paper and add the Task Force should be congratulated for producing a practical report

Auckland

The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand’s analysis of the real estate market for April, 2005.

Hamilton

In an address to Kapiti Grey Power, Dr Michael Cullen promotes his Budget as "A Budget for All Generations”. An excerpt of his speech follows.

Northplan Investmentshave welcomed the Government’s decision to remove a tax on investors who use a professional fund manager, but warn they "are like a house built on sand"

Weekly Home Loan report: The past week has been a quiet one on the home loan front with the trend of the past couple of weeks, falling longer-term rates, continuing.

The Task Force on Financial Intermediaries has set out four options for regulation of the industry – but is not saying which one it favours.

The Financial Intermediaries task force has released a consultation paper setting out the issues the task force has identified from its first round of consultation and looking at options to address those issues