Economists do not expect the Official Cash Rate (OCR) to increase next week, with third quarter inflation being well-behaved in the middle of the Reserve Bank's target range at 1.5% and with retail sales in August and house prices last month printing weak results.

Brokers Independent Group (BIG), Professional Investment Services (PIS) and Minerva have all joined together to become a merged entity because individually they lacked scale and scope says the chief executive and executive director David Whyte.

There has been confusion in the financial adviser industry regarding the registration requirements for advisers who operate as sole traders under a company name and around legislative deadlines.

AIA is launching its Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (HKEx), however AIA US will still own between a third to a half of the company, there are cornerstone investors and the rest will be available to the public.

The Institute of Financial Advisers (IFA) is lobbying to get its members, certified financial planners (CFPs) and chartered life underwriters (CLUs) longer licencing periods under the standard terms and conditions of the Financial Advisers Act.

Commissioner for Financial Advisers David Mayhew says now is not the time to dwell on the resource implications of active enforcement by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA), but they are considerable.

Insurance providers report that a significant amount of level cover was sold in the run up to the July 1 tax changes and there has since been a drop-off in sales.

A Quality Advice Network (QAN) to help advisers deliver a professional service to customers and meet their regulatory obligations under the Financial Advisers Act (FAA) has been launched with institutional support from AXA.

The Real Property KiwiSaver Scheme (RPKS) was closed down in May and the funds of members are now to be distributed to other providers.

Borrowers should stay floating until someone comes along and offers a really attractive fixed rate says BNZ economist Tony Alexander, explaining how attractive that rate would have to be.

Frozen Funds Group now frozen; Investors complain over ING settlement; Drop in health and life complaints; FDR site live.

The Securities Commission has made it clear authorisation applications must be made no later than 31 March 2011 and director supervision Angus Dale-Jones has the simple ABC guide of how to get there.

Advisers have been concerned that there are not enough exam and assessment dates available with ETITO in order to be prepared for authorisation, however ETITO says its system is dynamic.

Commissioner for Financial Advisers David Mayhew believes Qualified Financial Entities (QFE) may over time become the effective distribution channel for retail investment products which require limited advice.

TOWER believes Fidelity Life is a "nice size and fit" for the company and that a takeover would create a more efficient organisation as both companies have "good people and good systems".

Asteron is taking a different approach than other companies to today's GST increase, paying for the increase for all clients in October and the first two weeks of November.