News - 19 March 2007

The Alpha Update

A friendly reminder – The end of the financial year for most (31 March) is looming fast!!

Rather than being the bearer of bad news, always drawing attention to those nagging tax deadlines, I mention this date to remind you of the extra help that Alpha Financial Solutions Ltd. can offer you.

If you need a good accountant, insurance broker, or whoever, give us a call. We have long-standing relationships with a variety of trusted service providers and have access to a comprehensive team of experts in each of the following fields:

• Accountancy Services
• Tax Consultancy
• Insurance and Risk Services
• Business Coaching and Development
• Legal and Conveyancing Services
• Advertising and Marketing Services
• Business Improvement and Process Efficiency Services
• Property Finders

Our aim is to provide you with effective financial and business solutions to meet your current and future needs.  We like to save you time by having all the information you need just a phone call away.

If it's time to change accountants, or you just want a second opinion about what to do, then give Stuart a call on 021 676 747 or 0800 676 747 NOW!!!

Food for Thought

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future - JFK

What's New??

90% Lo Doc finance (self declared income) and 80% No Doc finance (declaration of affordability only). Both products are provided by a subsidiary of a major bank, and are priced quite keenly. IDEAL FOR PROPERTY INVESTORS WHO ARE RUNNING OUT OF CREDIT LIMITS via the normal sources. Call NOW to find out more!

Interest Rate and Currency Comments

Well he did! (Alan Bollard raised the Official Cash Rate by 0.25% on 8 March). He also intimated that further rises are possible, a fact that economists are expecting to happen again by the middle of this year. The banks have all been VERY quick to raise their floating rate in response, and have also raised their fixed rates by 10-20 basis points (0.1% to 0.2%) across the board. Most bank fixed rates are in the early to mid 8% range now! However, there are still some sub 8% rates on offer, and banks are still very negotiable for the right deal!

The kiwi has swung in a range of over 3 cents against the US dollar in a month! (see chart below) However, it has not broken out of this range, and is not likely to do so for some time to come.

(See below for latest interest and exchange rates).

The Finance Markets

As of 8am on Monday 19 March 2007 the following Interest Rates applied:
Official cash rate 7.50% (up)
90 day bill rate 7.88% (up)
5 year bond rate 6.52% (up)
NZ/US Dollar 0.6947 (down from 0.7010)

Current Range of Interest Rates for home and investment mortgages as at 19 March 2007.

Floating:
8.50 to 9.95% (up)

Fixed For:
1 Year - 8.0% to 9.35% (up)
2 Year - 8.09% to 9.50% (up)
3 Year - 8.05% to 9.35% (up)
4 Year - 7.95% to 8.84% (up slightly)
5 Year - 7.85% to 9.15% (up)

For a complete table of interest and exchange rates, click here.

The information stated herein was correct at the time of release, but is subject to changes without notice.