{"id":299339,"date":"2026-02-24T06:41:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T06:41:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/299339\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T06:41:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T06:41:12","slug":"what-happened-tuesday-interest-co-nz-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/299339\/","title":{"rendered":"What happened Tuesday | interest.co.nz"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Here are the key things you need to know before you leave work today (or if you work from home, before you shutdown your laptop).<\/p>\n<p>MORTGAGE RATE CHANGES<br \/>ICBC cut its six month fixed rate to 4.39% almost matching the Bank of China&#8217;s market-low 4.38%. All current mortgage rates are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.interest.co.nz\/borrowing\" rel=\" noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>. And note, you can compare mortgage offers with our new calculator that takes into account other costs and cashback incentives, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.interest.co.nz\/calculators\/home-loan-comparison-calculator\" rel=\" noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>TERM DEPOSIT\/SAVINGS RATE CHANGES<br \/>Southern Cross Partners cut their 1 and 2 year rates to 5.75% today. All updated term deposit rates less than 1 year are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.interest.co.nz\/saving\/term-deposits-1-to-9-months\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">here<\/a>, for 1-5 years, they are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.interest.co.nz\/saving\/term-deposits-1-to-5-years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>UPGRADE FOR SBS BANK<br \/>Fitch Ratings has upgraded SBS Bank&#8217;s credit rating to BBB+ from BBB citing improvement in SBS&#8217;s capital ratios, which Fitch expects to be maintained over the next two years. (<a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.interest.co.nz\/credit-ratings-explained&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1771979645743000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2b2BjJtRsc3TBoap_VG42a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.interest.co.nz\/credit-ratings-explained\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">See credit ratings explained here<\/a>). This upgraded rating puts them on par with both Co-operative bank and TSB.<\/p>\n<p>SEEKING CONSISTENCY<br \/>The Commerce Commission has finalised new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.comcom.govt.nz\/regulated-industries\/projects\/economic-regulation-of-water-services-information-disclosure\/\" rel=\" noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">information disclosure rules<\/a> for local councils and water organisations that deliver water supply and wastewater services. These rules introduce consistent public reporting so consumers can more clearly see how their local water service provider is performing and understand how money is being spent.<\/p>\n<p>TAKE A BREAK, DO OUR QUIZ<br \/>Our quiz has been updated for this week&#8217;s edition. You can do it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.interest.co.nz\/economy\/137309\/do-our-latest-quiz-joining-hundreds-fellow-readers-fresh-new-challenge\" rel=\" noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>. And a new one will be added every Monday.<\/p>\n<p>LOOKING AHEAD TO THE GDT PULSE AUCTION<br \/>Tomorrow&#8217;s dairy Pulse auction is expected (by the derivatives market pricing) to bring another surge in SMP prices, raising these USD prices back to 2022 levels. The WMP pricing won&#8217;t be so bullish however.<\/p>\n<p>NZX50 UP AGAIN<br \/>As at 3pm, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.interest.co.nz\/investing\/137345\/here-are-key-changes-know-about-new-zealand-equity-market-nzx50-gains-led-fp\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the overall NZX50 index<\/a> is up +0.4% so far today. But that still puts it up +3.2% over the past five working days. It is now up +3.0% from six months ago. From a year ago it is now up +7.5%. Market heavyweight F&amp;P Healthcare is up +5.3% so far today. In fact, the NZX50 gains are being led by F&amp;P Healthcare, Sanford, Channel Infrastructure and Tourism Holdings while Genesis, Chorus, Serko and Investore Property fall away.<\/p>\n<p>TRACKING DEATHS<br \/>In Australia, they have just <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abs.gov.au\/statistics\/health\/causes-death\/deaths-due-acute-respiratory-infections-australia\/jan-2026\" rel=\" noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">found<\/a> that 2025 had the highest level of flu deaths since 2000. Extended mortality tracking showed Australian deaths involving COVID-19 remain at very low levels, with just 53 deaths in November and 52 in December. But deaths involving influenza remain unseasonably high, with 95 deaths in November and 119 in December. During 2025, Covid-related deaths peaked in July at 360, while influenza deaths peaked in the same month at 328.<\/p>\n<p>CHINA HOLDS<br \/>And\u00a0the Chinese central bank left its benchmark lending rates <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbc.gov.cn\/rmyh\/108976\/index.html#r_con4\" rel=\" noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">unchanged<\/a> for a ninth consecutive month in February, in line with what market expected, and that seems to show policymakers are not rushing to introduce broad monetary easing after their other recent targeted measures.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>SWAP RATES HOLD<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.interest.co.nz\/charts\/interest-rates\/swap-rates\" rel=\" noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Wholesale swap rates<\/a> are probably little-changed to marginally softer today. Keep an eye on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.interest.co.nz\/charts\/interest-rates\/swap-rates\" rel=\" noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">our chart<\/a> below which will record the final positions closer to 5pm. The 90 day bank bill rate was unchanged at 2.49% on Monday. Today, the Australian 10 year bond yield is down -1 bp at 4.71%. The China 10 year bond rate is down -2 bps at 1.79%. The Japanese 10 year bond is down -1 bp at 2.09% today. The NZ Government 10 year bond rate is now at 4.38%, down -2 bps from this time yesterday. The RBNZ data is now &#8216;prior day&#8217; with Monday&#8217;s rate up +2 bps at 4.36%. The UST 10yr yield is down -4 bps from yesterday, now just on 4.04%.<\/p>\n<p>EQUITIES MIXED<br \/>The local equity market has gained again in Tuesday trade, up +0.7% so far.\u00a0 However, the ASX200 is down by -0.2% in afternoon trade. Tokyo is up +0.6% in its opening trade. Hong Kong is down -1.6% but Shanghai has returned from holiday up +1.0%. Singapore is down -0.6%. Wall Street was down -1.0% on the S&amp;P500 at the end of its Monday trade.<\/p>\n<p>OIL RISES SLIGHTLY<br \/>American oil prices are back up +50 USc at just under US$66.50\/bbl, while the international Brent price is over US$72.50\/bbl.<\/p>\n<p>CARBON PRICE RISES<br \/>There have been more trades but small ones today on the secondary market, but the price has pushed up to $47\/NZU. See our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.interest.co.nz\/charts\/rural\/carbon-price\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">daily chart tracker<\/a> of the NZU price for carbon, courtesy of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emstradepoint.co.nz\/\" rel=\" noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">emsTradepoint<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>GOLD FIRMS AGAIN<br \/>In early Asian trade, gold has risen from this time yesterday, up +US15\/oz and now at US$5172\/oz. Silver is down -US$ at just under US$86\/oz.<\/p>\n<p>NZD DIPS<br \/>The Kiwi dollar is back down -0 bps from this time yesterday against the USD, now at just on 59.6 USc. Against the Aussie we are down -20 bps at 84.4 AUc. Against the euro we down -10 bps at 50.6 euro cents. This all means the TWI-5 is now just on 63.1 and down -20 bps from this morning.<\/p>\n<p>BITCOIN SLIPS<br \/>The bitcoin price is now at US$64,191\u00a0and down a minor -0.4% from this time yesterday. Volatility has been moderate at +\/- 2.1%.<\/p>\n<p>Select chart tabs<\/p>\n<p>                          US$<br \/>\n                            AU$<br \/>\n                            TWI-5<br \/>\n                            \u00a5en<br \/>\n                            \u00a5uan<br \/>\n                            \u20acuro<br \/>\n                            GBP<br \/>\n                            Bitcoin<\/p>\n<p>Select chart tabs<\/p>\n<p>                          1 year %<br \/>\n                            2 years %<br \/>\n                            3 years %<br \/>\n                            4 years %<br \/>\n                            5 years %<br \/>\n                            7 years %<br \/>\n                            10 years %<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.interest.co.nz\/rural-news\/soil-moisture-animation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><br \/>\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/soil-moisture-2026-02-14.gif\" title=\"click to go to animation page\"\/><\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p>This soil moisture chart is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.interest.co.nz\/rural-news\/soil-moisture-animation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">animated here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Keep abreast of upcoming events by following our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.interest.co.nz\/economic-calendar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Economic Calendar here \u00bb<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Here are the key things you need to know before you leave work today (or if you work&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":79441,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[916,910,914,912,42,43,69,915,911,40,38,41,39,913],"class_list":{"0":"post-299339","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-banking","9":"tag-bonds","10":"tag-borrowing","11":"tag-currencies","12":"tag-headlines","13":"tag-news","14":"tag-nz","15":"tag-saving","16":"tag-term-deposits","17":"tag-top-news","18":"tag-top-stories","19":"tag-topnews","20":"tag-topstories","21":"tag-twi"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/299339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=299339"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/299339\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/79441"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=299339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=299339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=299339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}