Home loan affordability worsened in Auckland and Northland for first home buyers last month.

The Capital Markets Development Taskforce released recommendations with the aim of rekindling Kiwis' faith in the sharemarket.

Some of the tax changes under consideration would reduce house prices and raise rents, says Westpac.

People who join KiwiSaver but don't choose which fund they want to be in could be put into a more aggressive fund.

The Hanover investors who grudgingly voted for the Allied Farmers deal probably haven't had time to digest the contents of the capital markets report.

"The work begins now," says one Allied director after Hanover investors approved the plan to sell the company's loan book to Allied Farmers at today's vote.

A result on whether Hanover investors have approved or rejected the Allied Farmers deal is expected this afternoon.

The New Year could bring a significant rise in the number of Kiwis facing debt stress.

Partial privatisation of state assets is among the recommendations of the final report of Capital Markets Development Taskforce presented today.

House prices across New Zealand rose a slim 0.2 per cent in November, says the Real Estate Institute, but those in Auckland have soared nearly 12 per cent over the past year.

Allied Farmers is down to the wire on its deal to acquire the financial assets for $400 million in stock.

One in three people viewing realestate.co.nz earlier this year searched the words "mortgagee sale", hunting a bargain ripe for plucking.

Giant Mitre 10 at Henderson changes hands for $20m.