Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard left interest rates unchanged although his comments about upside risks to inflation pushed the currency and wholesale interest rates up.

Both Westpac and TSB Bank saw their shares of the mortgage market shrink slightly in the December quarter, although both reported strong profits.

With inflation a continuing problem, Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard is likely to hold interest rates at current high levels, despite an increasingly uncertain outlook for world growth and drought dampening agricultural production.

Bank of New Zealand's share of the mortgage market was steady in the December quarter last year, although its profitability fell compared with the same quarter a year earlier.

ANZ National Bank's core net profit rose and its share of the mortgage market increased in the December quarter.

Listed finance company Lombard Group's mortgage broking operations won't necessarily be aware if clients, gained through the businesses bought from Blue Chip last year, are in financial difficulty, says Lombard managing director Michael Reeves.

Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard has left interest rates unchanged, warning that despite the turbulence in international financial markets, the New Zealand economy should continue to grow and that inflation is likely to remain above his 3% target through 2008.

Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard is unlikely to hike rates on Thursday but, with inflation having breached Bollard's target range, the number of economists predicting future rate hikes is growing.

The apparent jump in the Bank of New Zealand's share of the mortgage market is due to it reclassifying business loans and it actually lost a small amount of market share in the September quarter, a spokesman says.

The Bank of New Zealand's share of the mortgage market surged in the September quarter, according to figures published in its latest quarterly disclosure document (GDS).

Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard left interest rates unchanged, as expected, but also said that rates will remain at current high levels for longer than expected. Bollard left his official cash rate (OCR) unchanged at 8.25%.

ANZ/National Bank increased its share of the mortgage market in the September quarter, the first quarter it hasn't lost market share since the June 2006 quarter.

Good Returns survey of economists show a rise in the official cash rate is unlikely this week.

Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard surprised nobody by leaving interest rates unchanged but he used his statement to take a swipe at government spending.

Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard is unlikely to hike rates on Thursday but nobody should be expecting any dovish words either.

The two smallest home-lending banks both increased net profit strongly during the June quarter, but while TSB Bank maintained its mortgage market share, HSBC's fell yet again as its mortgage book shrank.