UPDATED: Marac’s aspirations of transforming into a bank face a hard road ahead following its downgrade by Standard & Poor’s last week.

Although term deposit rates have risen recently Westpac is picking shorter duration rates will ease in the coming weeks.

Fisher & Paykel Finance managed to boost its revenue over the past year and avoid the trouble seen by some of its contemporaries by staying out of property development and sticking to consumer credit.

AMP Capital Investors' new socially responsible investing (SRI) fund for New Zealand assets has paved the way for better analysis of local firms and whether they meet acceptable levels for responsible environmental, social and governance policies.

More Momi trouble for Bridgecorp; Rockforte Finance in fashion spotlight; Equitable has new offer: Rates Update - who has hiked rates.

Trauma insurance sales surged 16% in the past 12 months as life insurance premiums continued to grow, according to Investment Savings and Insurance Association data.

New Zealand property values rose for the third straight month amid solid sales activity, as low interest rates and a shortage of quality housing keep the market active.

The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand's (REINZ) monthly housing price index is in for an overhaul after the central bank found that the series had flaws that made it difficult to identify trends in property prices.

The Reserve Bank has exempted some non-bank deposit taking firms from the requirement to get a rating - but won't name the firms.

Cynotech, the company headed by former Equiticorp boss Allan Hawkins is starting to recover money from the loan books of collapsed finance companies Western Bay and National Finance 2000.

Letting services will be under the spotlight after the government decided against including property managers in tighter regulation for real estate agents, according to a cabinet document.

Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard held the official cash rate at 2.50% as expected and said while economic activity showing signs of stabilising, the high New Zealand dollar was helping to keep the economy "weak." The kiwi tumbled after his statement.

Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard held the official cash rate at 2.5% as expected and said while economic activity showing signs of stabilising, the high New Zealand dollar was helping to keep the economy "weak." The kiwi tumbled after his statement.

Two of the big four Australian are taking further steps in the wealth management space, with BNZ's parent, National Australia Bank, taking an 80% stake in Goldman Sachs JBWere, and ANZ reportedly looking at ING Group's private banking operations in Asia.

Financial advisers who took Morningstar recommendations out of context are to blame for the over-subscription to ING’s frozen funds, according to Strategi managing director David Greenslade.

Kiwibank's cash PIE funds have topped a billion dollars just four months after the launch of its financial planning division and amid stiff competition from the term deposit war.