Focus on fixed-rate home loans as NZ housing market stabilises 28 January 2011 5:33PM The New Zealand housing market could be stabilising after months of trending low. Along with a benign outlook for interest rates, this could see banks tweaking interest rates in anticipation of risi.. read more
Debit spend moving up in New Zealand 27 January 2011 5:27PM Like Australia, New Zealand is witnessing a trend towards the increasing popularity of debit cards over credit and charge cards. While the main reason is the post-GFC fall in consumer confidence, an.. read more
NZ covered bond limit effectively five per cent 24 January 2011 5:58PM The Reserve Bank of New Zealand announced a formal limit that could mean the issuance of covered bonds would be restricted to as low as five per cent of total bank assets. read more
Pace of Kangaroo issuance gets stronger 24 January 2011 5:36PM The European Investment Bank has started 2011 with gusto in the Australian market, last week selling A$700 million of bonds on top of a $600 million issue made the week before. read more
Canadians testing covered bonds ahead of local push 20 January 2011 5:11PM A new three-year covered bond issue from Canada's Bank of Nova Scotia will give the market a new pointer to the likely effect of opening the market for these instruments. read more
ANZ National deputy CEO Fyfe retires 19 January 2011 5:30PM ANZ National deputy chief executive Steven Fyfe will retire in February after 29 years at the bank. read more
Westpac mandates four banks for EUR1b covered bond issue 19 January 2011 5:27PM Westpac New Zealand is set to become the second bank to issue covered bonds, with the bank mandating four lead managers for a plan to raise up to EUR1 billion. read more
Three and four year terms appeal to financial issuers 17 January 2011 5:26PM Commonwealth Bank on Thursday priced $2.5 billion of fixed and floating rate transferable certificate of deposits maturing in July 2015. The bank promoted the financing as the largest ever non-guarant.. read more
New Zealand debt still AAA for Moody's 17 January 2011 5:25PM An increase in New Zealand's government debt ratios will not push Moody's Investors Service to cut the country's AAA rating for NZ dollar debt. read more
ANZ coughs up meal allowances 12 January 2011 5:22PM ANZ has lost its argument with Finsec, the Finance Sector Union, which challenged the bank's move to not pay meal money to staff working overtime at its call centre in New Zealand handling calls fro.. read more