Lifetime Group gears up for mortgages - Good Returns
Lifetime Group gears up for mortgages - Good Returns
It has formed a strategic partnership with the Rothbury Group which see it take over Rothbury’s life insurance and mortgage businesses. Rothbury gets Lifetime’s general insurance business and it is also is taking a cornerstone shareholding in Lifetime.
Rothbury, which is the fourth largest general broker in New Zealand and part of the ASX-listed Steadfast Group, has bought a 19.5% stake in the business for $8 million.
Lifetime’s mortgage business will get another eight brokers, bringing the total to 19, and it will generate around $400 million in loans a year.
Lifetime chief executive Mike Jones says that he sees “real potential for growth in the mortgage business”
Market & Portfolio Update - January 2026
After strong gains in 2025, the global share market (represented by the MSCI World Gross Index) took a breather in January, returning 0.1% in NZ dollar terms. While the ‘Magnificent 7’ (the seven largest US-listed companies, including Google, Microsoft & Apple) have been large drivers behind the recent gains seen from the US share market, January told a different story. There appeared to be ‘catch-up’ trade where investors moved out of concentrated tech positions and into the rest of the market, with the Russell 2000 index (a widely regarded proxy for smaller US companies) having a strong month. This was generally seen as improving confidence in the broader US economy.
Interest Rate Averaging: A Smarter Way to Manage Mortgage Risk
When it comes to mortgages, most people focus on one thing, getting the lowest interest rate.
But the lowest rate today doesn’t always lead to the best outcome over time.
Interest Rate Averaging is a strategy designed to reduce risk, smooth cashflow, and create flexibility, rather than trying to perfectly time interest rates, which no one can do consistently.