A review of things you need to know before you go home on Tuesday; TSB Bank raises home loan rates, education industry helps the regions, Aussies like us, RBA unlikes interest-only rise, swaps firm, NZD stuck

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

MORTGAGE RATE CHANGES
TSB Bank raised most fixed mortgage rates today.

DEPOSIT RATE CHANGES
There are no changes to report here today.

EDUCATION A SUCCESS FOR THE REGIONS
International education is making an important contribution to economic development and GDP growth in our regions, according to new Infometrics reports out today. The highest contribution in the new series of reports is attributed to Dunedin, at $117 mln for 2015/16.

THE COUSINS KEEP VISITING
Data out in Australia today shows that New Zealand remains the Aussies favourite overseas holiday destination. We are #1 by some margin, ahead of Indonesia (Bali) which is actually showing a trend reduction. And the love is mutual; Kiwis are Australia's principal source of tourists although that may not be the case for long - in January the numbers from China to Australia overwhelmed our visits and it looks like the Chinese are just getting started.

RBA TO BANKS: 'PULL YER HEAD IN, MATE'
And staying is Australia, their Reserve Bank is looking at the rising levels of interest-only lending by banks with concern. To them this is a loosening of lending standards for housing investors, and regulators say they prepared to act to tighten the rules unless the banks pull back themselves.

ONE IN TEN - LABOR TARGETS FOREIGNERS
NSW has a Stamp Duty for housing sales, and that database has been used to analyse the 'real level' of foreigners buying in the State. Figures released under Freedom of Information laws from the NSW Office of State Revenue show that foreign nationals accounted for 11% of the 28,141 residential homes purchased in NSW from July to September 2016. 3.5% of properties (985) were purchased by Chinese buyers, the British bought 1% (285), us Kiwis bought 1% (280) and Indians about 0.7% (180) of NSW properties in the period, accounting for about half of all the buying by 'foreigners'. At these levels, the Labor Party opposition is calling for higher Stamp Duties for foreigners to dissuade them.

A RICH MISSIONARY
And even more from Australia, or really, Indonesia and a risk to Australia. Indonesia has just had an extravagant visit from the King of Saudi Arabia; the head of one of the most autocratic countries in the world visiting a democratic success-story. The King came with money - which he is spending buying/converting/promoting schools for his fundamentalist Wahhabist version of Islam. It is a direction concerning to Australia.

+9.5% NOT GOOD ENOUGH
Retail sales in February in China have come in at levels that have disappointed the financial markets. The year-on-year growth was up +9.5% but this is the slowest expansion in well over a year. Still, they report that online retail is up +32% in the same period. Meanwhile, industrial production came in at expected levels, up +6.3%.

WHOLESALE RATES HOLD
Local swap rates have gained back half of what they lost yesterday, up +1 bp across the curve. Even the 90 day bank bill rate rose by +1 bp to 1.97%.

NZ DOLLAR STILL ON HOLD
The NZD is holding at 69.2 USc. On the cross rates we are at 91.6 AUc, and at 64.9 euro cents. The TWI-5 index is still at 74.8 which is where it has been for five days now. Check our real-time charts here or see below.

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