Prospective home buyers have been rushing to get pre-approval for loans with less than a 20 per cent deposit before new regulations are brought in.

Jason Rathgen is getting desperate - he sought pre-approval for a loan with a deposit of less than 20 per cent.

Exposure has grown since Asian financial crisis of 1997, Institute of Economic Research warns.

Finance companies could make a comeback in the wake of the Reserve Bank's clampdown on low deposit lending by banks.

Experts say tighter mortgage lending rules will only a partially ease house prices, writes Jamie Gray.

Banks could be forced to allow customers to take their account number with them when they shift to a new bank, in the same way customers can take their cellphone number with them when they move telcos.

Sometimes you have to be in a ringside seat at a big fight to really understand what it's like, says Bernard Hickey.

Serious concerns have been raised about the punishing hours endured by interns at London City investment banks after the death of a young Bank of America Merrill Lynch employee.

New loan restrictions mean the "poor middle-class" hoping to buy their first home will be left out in the cold as banks cherry pick their ideal customers.

Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler said banks will be subject to restrictions on high loan-to-value ratio (LVR) housing mortgage loans from October 1.

Most western central banks do not entrust interest rate decisions to committees with external members - the model favoured by the Green and Labour Parties - a Reserve Bank study found.

Whether you own your own or rent can have a big impact on the kind of lifestyle you have in retirement, says Massey University.