The switch from floating to fixed interest rates mortgages has impacted Westpac New Zealand’s net interest margin,which fell six basis points in the 2014 financial year. Net interest margin is the difference between what interest the bank charges for loans and what it has to pay for the money. It fell to 2.27 percent in the year ending Sept. 30, from …

The New Zealand dollar may decline as the US dollar continues to trend higher leading into a key jobs report, amid a slew of economic indicators and central bank meetings. The kiwi will probably trade between 76 US cents and 79.80 cents this week, according to a BusinessDesk survey of 11 traders, strategists and brokers. Seven predict the kiwi will fall this …

Wall Street rose after a report showing the US economy grew at a better-than-expected clip in the third quarter, while shares of Visa and MasterCard rallied after their latest earnings topped expectations. In afternoon trading in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.30 percent, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 0.53 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index …