Latest fromANZ Banking Group

Keep cash rate on hold - shadow board
The monetary policy shadow board's advice to Reserve Bank governor Graeme Wheeler is unchanged from six weeks ago - keep the official cash rate on hold at 3.5 per cent, with a cut the next best....

China's GDP target won't slash demand
China's decision to lower its annual GDP growth target to around 7 per cent should not have a significant impact on demand for New Zealand commodities, HSBC's chief economist for Australia and New....

Dairy helps raise commodity price index
Higher dairy prices pushed ANZ's commodity price index up 1.8 per cent last month.

Business confidence taking sure steps
Business confidence has strengthened in ANZ's first survey of the year.

Stock Takes: Up and away - market takes off
It has been a big week for the sharemarket as the reporting season continues and stocks make big price moves.

Home loan affordability improves
Home loans became more affordable last month, with the typical home buyer saving $30 per week on mortgage repayments compared to December.

Home loan demand drives bumper profits
New Zealand's banks had a bumper 2014, with home loan demand amid a booming property market helping to boost their combined profit by more than 20 per cent to a record $4.8 billion.

Bank settlements top $24m
A probe into how three banks marketed interest rate swaps to farmers will see up to $24.2 million go back to rural customers and their communities, with Westpac following ANZ and ASB and settling with the Commerce Commission.

Hamish Fletcher: Out-of-court deals feel like a cop-out
Out-of-court settlements may be cheaper, quicker and more certain than seeing a case through - but they can often feel like a cop-out.

ANZ's Kiwi arm benefits from lending
Australia & New Zealand Banking Group says its New Zealand division performed strongly in the final three months of last year as cash profit slipped 0.2 per cent.

Fair-go format under fire
The head of the ANZ Championship accepts that the new conference model will be one of the ongoing discussion points of this year's competition, but is standing by the controversial change in format.

Bank expects dairy prices to firm
ANZ said it expects dairy prices to continue this year's firming trend at tomorrow's GlobalDairyTrade auction.

Good start to year, traffic index shows
The economy was still on a roll as it started 2015, ANZ's Truckometer indicator suggests.

Keep cash rate on hold - shadow board
NZIER's monetary policy shadow board believes the Reserve Bank should leave the official cash rate on hold at 3.5 per cent tomorrow but that the next best option would be a cut.

Netball: Taurua working her magic on the Mystics
She was the coach behind New Zealand's only transtasman league win. Now she is the coach behind Northern Mystics mentor Debbie Fuller.

Consumer confidence bounces back
Consumers are feeling more cheerful going into the peak Christmas trading period, the ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer confidence survey has found.

Brian Fallow: Riding the dairy monster
A $6 billion drop in dairy farmers' incomes this season is a blow to the wider economy, no question, writes Brian Fallow. But it's not all bad.

Civil servant bosses' pay at record low
Senior New Zealand public servants' and chief executives' total collective pay is at the lowest level in six years.

Big four Aussie banks face shake-up
Australian banks should be forced to hold more capital to minimise their risk of failure and improve competition, the Financial System Inquiry has found.

Middle-age mortgage? No way
Middle-aged home buyers face being locked out of the property market because banks are worried they are too old to pay off their mortgage before they retire.

ANZ admits misleading conduct, settles for $18.5m
ANZ has admitted misleading conduct over interest rate swaps and up to 178 farmers will now have to decide whether to accept their share of $18.5 million from the bank.

ANZ pays out $19m to settle case
ANZ will pay $18.5m to some of its rural customers who complained about interest rate swaps after reaching a settling with the Commerce Commission.

Dynamic Business: Community's changing face
You don't need to walk far in Auckland to see that the face of the city has changed almost beyond recognition in recent decades.

Dynamic Business: Top four banks hold their places
The top financial institutions have held their positions on the Top 30 rankings for financial institutions.

China challenge tipped for big Aussie banks
Reserve Bank deputy governor Grant Spencer says the arrival of Asian banking giants is a watershed event that will boost competition and keep the dominant lenders "on their toes".

ANZ chief's pay rises to $4.7m
ANZ New Zealand chief executive David Hisco has enjoyed a solid pay rise, with his total remuneration lifting almost 15 per cent to $4.7 million.