As the West Coast struggles with the emotional cost of the Pike River tragedy, chairman John Dow has reassured the community there is still a future for the mine and the company.

The New Zealand dollar slowly recovered yesterday after it fell to its lowest level against the greenback in nearly four weeks overnight after a shelling exchange on the Korean peninsula added to the US currency's appeal as a safe haven.

Kiwibank has cut its 2 year fixed mortgage rate to 6.59pc, to try and spice up housing demand.

New property developers are finding it harder to get bank funding.