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.

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.

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.

Two of New Zealand's biggest lenders have slashed mortgage interest rates, giving impetus to price rise expectations in the hot housing market.

A member of the public has been hospitalised after being injured during an altercation at a bank robbery in Auckland today, police say.

Two fraud victims’ $3.8 million lawsuit against ASB can go ahead without the pair needing to pay $60,000 upfront after a judge found the bank had misled the court.

Banks will need to "reinvent themselves" if they want to keep increasing shareholder returns, according to a new report.

The curtain is rising on the long-awaited Auckland Theatre Company's new Wynyard Quarter complex after ASB Bank upped its contribution.

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.

ASB has joined Westpac in offering the new PayTag service, which involves stickers attached to smartphones to speed up payments.

The top financial institutions have held their positions on the Top 30 rankings for financial institutions.

ASB's Barbara Chapman is keeping an watchful eye on how the banking sector is being disrupted.

A business owner who was mistakenly given thousands of dollars by his bank later had his account put into the red without warning.

Summer holidays are coming but Eli and Wyndi Tagi won't be expecting to switch off their phones.

Banks are offering cash, TVs and furniture vouchers to entice customers into taking out home loans - but experts warn consumers not to be taken in.

An improving economy helped boost ASB's annual net profit by 14 per cent to a record $806 million, but the bank's chief executive, Barbara Chapman, says bad-debt expenses are likely to begin trending upwards from their present low levels.

An improving economy and favourable funding conditions helped ASB Bank boost its annual statutory net profit by 14pc to a record $806 million.

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.

KiwiSaver members should pay close attention to how much their providers are charging, a global research firm has warned.

About 70 per cent of businesses surveyed by ASB Bank expect the New Zealand dollar to reach parity with the Aussie dollar over the coming year.

ASB boss Barbara Chapman expects the bank's strong growth to continue into 2014.

ASB's cash profits rose 12 per cent in the six months to December 31 to $393 million - breaking another record for the bank.

ASB Bank has pulled the plug on existing pre-approvals for low-equity home loans from October 4 but rival banks say they will continue to honour their pre-approvals.