A review of things you need to know before you go home on Tuesday; SBS Bank trims its variable mortgage margin, NBS raises a TD rate, WLG gets it own Accord, wholesale and fx rates unchanged

Here are the key things you need to know before you leave work today.

THERE WERE MORE HOME LOAN CHANGES TODAY
SBS Bank raised rates today, mostly by +15 bps over most terms up to 18 months. That includes their floating rate to 6.30% which makes it unusual because most other banks have hiked that by +25 bps, the full OCR rise. Housing NZ also announced a similar +15 bps rise, to 6.40%.

NBS RAISED A TD RATE
The Nelson Building Society raised their 1 year rate to 4.50%, up by +10 bps.

INEQUALITY IN NZ
New Zealand was one of only six developed economies in which both income inequality and disposable income inequality was flat or slightly better between 2007 and 2011, according to the OECD.

WELLINGTON GOT A HOUSING ACCORD TOO
Wellington housing accord aims for 7,000 new homes over the next five years, according to the announcement today. It comes quickly after the one for Queenstown yesterday.

HOW ARE THE REGIONS DOING?
Analysts are divided on how the 'regions' are faring. ANZ says 'great', NZIER says 'not too good', and Westpac came out in between.

WHOLESALE RATES
Wholesale swap rates inched up 1 bp across the whole curve today. The 90 day bank bill rate was unchanged today at 3.57%.

OUR CURRENCY
The NZ dollar was basically unchanged today. It is now at 87.1 USc, at 92.5 AUc and the TWI is still at 81.0.

SPECIAL FEATURE
We have today animated the daily soil moisture chart. Just click it.

You can now see an animation of this chart. Click on it, or click here.