Laws to regulate financial advisers cannot protect investors against all forms of loss, Simon Power, National Party spokesman for commerce has warned.

New Zealand's largest non-bank finance group has spoken about the difficulties of doing business here in the current market conditions.

Borrowers face renewed uncertainty over the future direction of home loan rates following events of recent days in New Zealand and overseas. The general direction of rates is still downward but the descent looks set to include some hairpin bends.

Just as we had got accustomed to the idea that the worst might be over for mortgage rates, the market has sprung another surprise.

Rate changes have slowed to a trickle over the past week as the mortgage market settled following the latest cut in funding costs.

Weekly Home Loan Report: More of the same is probably the best way to sum up developments in the home loan market over the past week.

The cost of fixed rate mortgages has started to tumble following a signal last week from the Reserve Bank that the official cash rate will be coming down by the end of the year.

Mortgage Express, the mortgage broking chain that is part of the Harcourts real estate group, has a record number of loans on its books awaiting settlement.

Two of Australasia's largest mortgage broking groups have announced agreements to work together on key areas of their businesses.

Economic events of the past week will be leaving mortgage borrowers feeling bemused. The Government announced a package of tax cuts in the Budget, but the result has been to push borrowing costs up again.

Home Loan Report: Green ink continues to spread across Good Returns' mortgage listings as non bank lenders join the mainstream banks in cutting the cost of fixed rate funds over the one to three year terms.

Smaller lenders are continuing to reorganise their businesses as they grapple with difficulties in the mortgage market.

Weekly Home Loan Report: Two steps forward, one step backwards. This is probably a fitting description for progress in the mortgage market at present.

Demand for home equity release mortgages slowed down towards the end of last year although the market still grew by 60% over the year, according to the second detailed analysis of the industry by actuary Trowbridge Deloitte.

After a couple of weeks' respite, there has been another series of mortgage rate increases over the past few days from non-bank lenders.

Sentinel, market leader in the home equity release in New Zealand, has become the latest lender forced to reorganise its business as conditions in the housing and mortgage markets deteriorate.