Variation in Chinese consumer appetite has the ability to create volatility in revenue and return for NZ business.

KiwiSaver assets have seen "phenomenal growth" in the past three months, increasing by $1.8 billion.

Westpac Group chief executive Brian Hartzer has embarked on a mission to transform the bank into a world-leading service company.

Profits were squeezed in New Zealand's banking sector during the final quarter of last year as non-interest income decreased and impaired asset expenses rose.

The lawyer heading up a legal fight against NZ's major banks over fees says he won't be throwing the towel in despite a ruling in favour of ANZ in Australia.

At least four banks have quietly dropped cash incentives aimed at wooing home loan customers.

ASB and Westpac banks have taken out the top honours in the 2015 Canstar banking Innovation Excellence Awards with clever new technology-driven products.

Air New Zealand is dropping BNZ in place of Westpac as its official Airpoints partner.

Westpac is facing a claim that it made misrepresentations to get a long-standing commercial customer to buy interest rate swaps that lost it $3 million.

Retailers are continuing to benefit from the boost to consumers' discretionary incomes from the fall in oil prices over the past year.

New Zealanders increased spending on debit and credit cards in February, led by gains in hospitality and apparel as low inflation

Building activity has reached its strongest growth rate in almost 15 years and is up sharply in the latest quarter, but critics say it is still not helping relieve Auckland's housing crisis.

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

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.

The New Zealand dollar rose against its Australian counterpart yesterday as retail sales beat expectations.

As 85-year-old Stewart Rundle fell more than 30m down a rocky cliff behind his beachfront home he had one thing on his mind - survival.

Westpac NZ's high-powered directors flexed their muscles - ever so diplomatically - to ensure the appointment of Kiwi David McLean as the bank's new chief executive.

New Westpac boss Brian Hartzer has stamped his authority in his first day as chief executive of the Australian banking group.

David McLean, the newly appointed boss of Westpac New Zealand, says he has landed his "dream job".

More interest rates have been cut following a week of competition by the country's biggest banks to attract house hunters and mortgage holders.

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

The New Zealand dollar pushed on to a 21-month high against the euro yesterday as the spectre of deflation swept through Europe's financial markets.

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.