Bank of New Zealand is watching dairy prices closely but has faith in farmers' ability to manage finances through dips in the commodities cycle, says chief executive Anthony Healy.

BNZ chief executive Anthony Healy has thrown his weight behind efforts to clean up New Zealand's polluted waterways.

NZ manufacturing activity picked up in August, extending the period of expansion to two years, and pointing to more industrial production.

Westpac New Zealand says it is gearing up to release a world first banking app that will allow customers to view their account details in 3D.

BNZ's head of migrant banking, Frank Cui, reckons he has a pretty good grasp of the challenges immigrants face when building a new life in NZ.

Outgoing BNZ boss Andrew Thorburn won't be cutting all his ties with New Zealand when he crosses the Tasman to start a new role as chief executive of parent company National Australia Bank in August.

When it releases its monetary policy statement on Thursday the Reserve Bank is expected to turn up the volume on its warning that it is preparing to remove the support of ultra-low interest rates in place since the recession.

BNZ boss Andrew Thorburn has made more than $400,000 from selling shares in the bank's parent company National Australia Bank (NAB).

The banking ombudsman has had 10 complaints about the loan-to-value-ratio (LVR) changes introduced on October 1, with eight related to banks withdrawing prior approvals.

The number of first home buyers in the market since the introduction of new Reserve Bank mortgage restrictions last month has plummeted, real estate agents are reporting.

The kiwi is expected to appreciate further against the Australian after the cross rate hit a near five-year high this week.