Tranzact, the listed Australian entity majority-owned by Grosvenor, is close to acquiring ownership in several more New Zealand financial planning firms following a new capital-raising, according to managing director, Allan Yeo.

First New Zealand Capital has spun off its wrap into a separate entity to manage the rapid growth of the platform business in a more logical fashion.

Less than 12 months after being appointed as head of Deutsche Asset Management (DeAM) in Hong Kong Clayton Coplestone has resigned and will be returning home to New Zealand.

The prospect of investment tax changes and the imminent launch of KiwiSaver has lured the Deutsche Bank-owned property arm RREEF to promote its products in New Zealand.

New boutique manager Elevation Capital launched one of the first New Zealand-domiciled long/short funds last week.

Fees on mortgage funds are too high considering the low level of risk many managers are currently adopting, according to a new study by Aviva Research in Australia.

New Zealand investors have developed an appetite for exchange traded funds ETF), according to recent data from both the Australian and New Zealand stock exchanges.

Adviser regulations may be delayed until 2009 following the government’s decision to link those proposals with the outcome of its review of financial products.

The UK-domiciled New Zealand Investment Trust (NZIT) has received a two-year exemption from complying with new tax rules which are due to come into force this April.

A newly-released report commissioned by Bluestone Equity Release and written by actuarial firm Trowbridge Deloitte has boosted the case for reverse mortgage products.

Insurance research company Plantech has been sold to a company which has just done a deal with the ASB-owned Aegis platform business.

The ASB-owned investment platform Aegis has plugged a major hole in its offering by bolting on the front-end financial planning software of Australian firm Xplan.

Rutherford Rede Northland has sold out to Australian group Plan B for an undisclosed sum and will be merged with fellow New Zealand financial planning firm Strategic Asset Management (SAM).

First New Zealand Capital (FNZC) will receive a minimum of £35.5 million ($106 million) over a period of six years for providing an end-to-end wrap platform for the recently-listed UK financial services giant Standard Life.

To disclose or not to disclose, that is the question...or that is one of the questions contained in a survey of insurance advisers instigated by ASSET and insurance firm AIA. David Chaplin looks at some of the answers.