A review of the things you need to know before you go home on Monday; QV reports LVRs working; Paymark shows where and how we are spending; FMA and Hanover talking

Here are the key things you need to know before you leave work today - well, this should have been available then.

Apologies for tardiness.

QV data out today showed that their house price measures rose 9.6% year on year, a slower rate than recently. It's still a fast rate although the LVR limits are the key to the slowing.

Paymark revealed that retail spending across January can be best described as positive but patchy.

Paymark’s data highlight that while the total spending through its network was up 7.9%, there are some mixed trends and also a hint that some of the momentum may be waning.

Spending on anything to do with cars and housing was strong, but hardware stores are on the outer.

The data also showed that growth of spending on credit cards far outstripped debit cards with total transactions for each payment type at +15.5% and +4.0%, year-on-year, respectively.

Swap rates slipped back just a tad on the day after the solid gains on Friday.

Our exchange rate has traded in a very narrow band today. It is looking for direction from offshore markets that come back from their weekend tonight.

Finally, there are reports that the FMA's civil action against Hanover and its directors is close to a negotiated settlement.