Dawn chorus: Westpac NZ on the block

Westpac eyes exit from NZ; IPO or sale may further freeze mortgage market; NZ vaccination roll-out slightly behind schedule; Canterbury DHB hands out leftover vaccines to healthy locals

TLDR: This is big news for NZ Inc and the housing market. Westpac announced last night it is considering exiting New Zealand, which could mean a sale or a stock market float of one our big four banks. Along with this week’s interest deductibility shock, bank decision-making on mortgages will slow right down.

The move came after the Reserve Bank ordered …