AMP says it will expand its financial advice business as part of a new turnaround strategy, despite pressure on the banks to address conflicts of interest inside their wealth divisions.

The corporate regulator is pushing investment banks and stockbrokers to strengthen their handling of conflicts of interest and inside information when producing equity research for investors.

ANZ Bank chairman David Gonski is urging the government to enshrine in law its commitment not to raise the rate of the bank tax, in a concession lenders cannot stop the levy from going ahead.

Bank moves to raise their interest rates independently of the Reserve Bank has been central in eroding public trust in the industry, corporate regulator Greg Medcraft says.

Government stare down claims of $2 billion 'black hole' in revenue its bank tax will raise.

The banks have some of the best-performing super funds of all, at least for their employees.

Westpac is selling its remaining stake in fund manager BT Investment Management, offloading up to $645 million worth of stock to institutional investors and signalling it intends to ultimately sell all shares it holds in the business.

• COMMENT

When it comes to mounting a scare campaign, the big four banks' CEOs and chairmen are more Casper the Friendly Ghost than Freddy Kruger, more Pooh Bear than Chucky.

Regional banks have vented over a cut in their credit ratings that will push up wholesale funding costs for smaller banks.

• COMMENT

If the Turnbull government's primary aim in slugging the banks with a levy is to raise $6.2 billion over four years, then it may have miscalculated.

• UPDATED

The big four banks expect to pay $965 million combined in extra tax as a result of the government's new bank levy.

Australia's major banks could receive an even bigger advantage in competing with smaller rivals, after Standard & Poor's cut the credit ratings of second-tier banks but excluded the dominant lenders.

A Sydney man convicted of insider trading has admitted he "fished" for information from an investment banker friend who went jogging with him in The Domain.

• UPDATED

S&P; Global Ratings downgraded the credit scores of more than 20 smaller financial institutions.

Liquidators to collapsed stock broker BBY are pursuing an insolvent trading claim against former company directors including tennis great Ken Rosewall and his son Glenn Rosewall.

Some $50 billion has been wiped off the combined market value of Australia's major banks since their highs at the start of this month, as investors eye a more challenging outlook for the big four.

The bank has removed incentives on such loans and demanded customers hold larger deposits.

Macquarie Bank will donate $2 million to charity and open up its foreign exchange arm to scrutiny after the corporate watchdog uncovered a series of breaches by its traders.

One of the country's biggest mortgage brokers is asking regulators to monitor any moves by banks to cut their commissions, amid speculation these payments could be chopped as banks try to offset the budget's tax hit.

• COMMENT

Clean up some of our more obvious rorts and trim the capital gains tax discount, and we'd be well on the way.

Banks will be forced to hand over sensitive internal documents on their interest rate decisions, including board papers, as the competition watchdog puts home loan pricing under the microscope.

Bank of Queensland chief says the banking tax is a step in the right direction, but it will not meaningfully level the playing field between the major banks and smaller rivals.

Losses on commercial real estate pose a more immediate risk to Australia's banks than developments in the housing market, where regulators are putting the brakes on riskier lending, Fitch Ratings says.

'I'm sure the banks will be working on plans to get it out of their customers,' ex-treasurer says.

Post budget pressure continues on the big four banks.

The government has hit back at Ken Henry, after the NAB chairman and former Treasury secretary lashed the government's $6.2 billion bank levy, describing it as damaging to the tax system and criticising the lack of consultation with the banks.

The ability of banks to respond to future financial shocks could be undermined by the government's $6.2 billion bank tax, several of the country's largest lenders claim.

• COMMENT

Why lenders are squealing so loudly about the bank tax.

The Commonwealth Bank appears to be testing the waters for an advertising campaign against the federal government's proposed bank levy, by paying to spread its chief executive's criticism of the new tax on social media.