Christchurch property investors could see boom times ahead – if the Government follows up on comments of a 10,000 home buy-out for residents and sells on the properties, according to Bayleys.

Insurance broker Crombie Lockwood has agreed a deal to acquire Christchurch-based Fraser Macandrew Ryan (FMR Risk), part of the Wesfarmers subsidiary’s plans to become the leading insurance brokerage in New Zealand.

The number of advisers registered for AFA accreditation ahead of the March 31 deadline looks like falling short of Securities Commission predictions of 5,000 AFAs.

Fidelity Life, OnePath and Tower boast the best insurance company websites in New Zealand, according to a review conducted by Chatswood Consulting.

Former Newpark general manager Barry Read has launched a new advisory business, Independent Development Solutions, to help advisers comply with the new regulatory regime.

Regulation for KiwiSaver schemes should place investors at the fore and not be led by product providers, and payments to advisers at the cost of investors should be disclosed, according to Morningstar.

The second round of Budget 2010 tax changes will help shift the economy towards savings, investments and exports and away from the "overinvestment in housing of the past decade," said Finance Minister Bill English.

Signs of improving housing market activity have been thoroughly quashed by uncertainty surrounding a local natural disaster and now a foreign one, according to the latest ANZ Property Focus.

Real Estate tycoon Don Ha has promised "business as usual" despite his Ray White franchise Don Ha Real Estate being taken over by receivers Grant Thornton.

Commerce Minister Simon Power has announced Cabinet’s decisions on the comprehensive review of securities law, calling the process “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to modernise our securities law.”

ANZ Wealth aims to have around $20 billion in assets under management in the next three to four years and sees a generational shift in the attitude to saving, and KiwiSaver, as key drivers for that growth.

The fast-approaching new regulatory dawn not only presents challenges to advisers but regulators as well.

New Zealand has been rated as the worst country to be an investor in managed funds due to a lack of tax incentives, poor regulation and disclosure.

February proved to be a mixed month for the housing market with volumes and the average median price up, but the average time to sell also increasing, according to the latest REINZ report.

Pie Funds has announced it will close its Pie Australasian Growth Fund to new money once the fund reaches its target of $20-$25 million.

Hopes rents are set to increase have been given a boost by the latest figures from Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) on building consents.