Competition is continuing to heat up in the mortgage market, with a new rate dipping below 5 per cent.

The US economy continues to surge back to life, moving into territory which some economists describe as "full employment". However, Americans who are still without a job may disagree.

Construction activity in Australia continued to fall in February as an interest rate cut failed to encourage new orders.

The January OCR review saw a shift in the bank's stance from a tightening bias to neutral.

Insurance of this kind is not always effective, may be unfair and can lead to risky lending by banks, writes Mary Holm.

The Portuguese bank that failed and lost the NZ Super Fund almost $200m breached Central Bank orders by "increasing exposure to its founding family's collapsing business".

NZ shares rose to a fresh record yesterday, paced by Mighty River Power, Meridian Energy and Genesis Energy as investors mulled possible lower interest rates across the Tasman.

Growing global market opportunities and the need to strengthen supply chains are creating a thirst for capital among agricultural co-operatives around the world, rural lending specialist Rabobank said.

Investors in property syndicates formerly run by SPI have been told to close ranks to the media.

The New Zealand Superannuation Fund's litigation against the Portuguese central bank could end up before the European Court of Justice.

It has been a big week for the sharemarket as the reporting season continues and stocks make big price moves.

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

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras won four more months to sell his policy program to creditors while keeping domestic voters on board.

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.

An Air NZ sponsorship deal has hit headlines in a tit-for-tat row between two of Britain's most influential newspapers over the integrity of their editorial content.

State-owned Kiwibank has posted a record interim profit of $71 million, and suggested it may commence dividend payments.

Mortgage lenders have noticed an upswing in the number of people withdrawing money from KiwiSaver for a first home.