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.

The Reserve Bank still sees interest rate increases in our future, but fewer and further away than it thought three months ago.

Australian banks should be forced to hold more capital to minimise their risk of failure and improve competition, the Financial System Inquiry has found.

ANZ has admitted misleading conduct over interest rate swaps and up to 178 farmers will now have to decide whether to accept their share of $18.5 million from the bank.

ANZ will pay $18.5m to some of its rural customers who complained about interest rate swaps after reaching a settling with the Commerce Commission.

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

David McLean says his experience working as MD of Westpac's NY branch gave him a unique insight into NZ's international competitiveness.

Reserve Bank deputy governor Grant Spencer says the arrival of Asian banking giants is a watershed event that will boost competition and keep the dominant lenders "on their toes".

Westpac NZ has reported a 13 per cent rise in annual cash earnings to $864m helped by a rise in lending and improving bad debts.

A man's jaw was broken when he was struck in the face with a golf ball during Labour weekend.

Westpac has changed its business model after discovering landlords are on the rise with their share of house sales up from 37 per cent a year ago to 42 per cent last month.

The gap between what New Zealand earns from the rest of the world through trade and investment and what it pays widened in the June quarter as falling dairy exports started to weigh on the trade balance.

Two of New Zealand's largest banks will this week be served court papers over claims they charged more than 41,600 customers unfair penalty fees.

A man has been seriously injured after a piece of machinery fell out of the back of a ute, crushing him underneath it.

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.

Australia is forecast to be among the fastest-growing economies this year, making it harder for the central bank to convince currency investors it won't raise interest rates.

NZ shares rose yesterday, led by Goodman Property Trust, after the property investor said full-year net profit rose 72 per cent. Trade Me and Xero paced the gains while Ryman Healthcare fell ahead of reporting earnings today.

Firms from Goldman Sachs to Commonwealth Bank of Australia are predicting the record yuan rout engineered by China's central bank has run its course.

The Reserve Bank's curbs on bank lending to low deposit borrowers could be removed by the end of the year.

An improving economy and a massive reduction in bad loans helped Westpac New Zealand post a record half-year profit.

New Zealand architects, including Auckland's much-awarded Andrew Patterson, have been critical of Australian practices winning big jobs here.

Australia's major banks are scrambling to distance themselves from dealings with companies accused illegal or immoral practices