Latest from Banking and finance

Brian Fallow: Retail sales reveal healthy pulse and savings rates also positive

As vital signs go, retail sales data for the last three months of 2014 were pretty healthy, writes Brian Fallow.

Drought adds urgency to irrigation plans

Drought throughout much of the South Island and dry conditions in parts of the North look set to add urgency to water storage and irrigation schemes.

Lloyd's pays out $4.2b for NZ quakes

Global insurance giant Lloyd's has paid out $4.2 billion for the Canterbury earthquakes, expects to pay a further $1.6 billion and remains committed to New Zealand.

Retail sales help lift kiwi

The New Zealand dollar rose against its Australian counterpart yesterday as retail sales beat expectations.

Services sector hits six-month high

New Zealand's services sector activity rose to a six-month high in January as record inward migration boosted demand for housing, increasing the need for property-related services.

Receivers target bankrupt dying exec

The receivers of Belgrave Finance are trying to bankrupt the terminally ill property developer who controlled the company, despite doubts it'll yield money.

More expect rise in house prices

Expectations of house price inflation have jumped, especially in Auckland, ASB's quarterly survey of housing market sentiment has found.

Tales of financial infidelity

More than three-quarters of the people who had deceived a partner about money said it damaged the relationship.

China's massive and unsustainable debt increase

Having chugged along through the financial crisis, China's huge expansion in debt now threatens to destabilise the economy.

Dollar has Aussie in sight

The NZ dollar has edged closer to its record against the Australian dollar overnight - briefly touching 96.29 Australian cents this morning.

Stock Takes: FMA 'judgment calls' in spotlight

The probe into suspected dodgy trading at Milford Asset Management highlights the awkward situation the Financial Markets Authority faces when its investigations become common knowledge within the....

Dollar up vs Aussie ahead of labour market data

IRD keeps mum on Swiss tax bills

New Zealanders who savoured the privacy of their Swiss HSBC bank accounts will continue to enjoy it from Inland Revenue, which won't reveal whether information from leaked files lifted any locals' tax bills.

Bridgecorp director's $174K bill fight

The Legal Services Commissioner wants disgraced Bridgecorp director Rob Roest to repay $174,000 of legal aid.

ASB profits up 7pc to record $444m

Fran O'Sullivan: Watchdog needs to be open about probe

Financial Markets Authority boss Rob Everett should simply tell the market exactly what its probe into alleged market manipulation at one of the country's highest profile funds manager entails.