Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Yesterday's news that another of our major banks has made another record profit, just about had me falling off my financially unstable rocking horse. ASB have reported another record annual profit in the same week that the TSB have said they'll be closing seven of their 25 branches, even though they are rated highly in customer service and satisfaction surveys. The ASB is our third biggest bank, and they've just reported this record profit, after all costs, of an eye watering $1.56 billion which is an increase of 6% on last year. In a way that's supposed to induce some form of pity for them, they've also announced that because of the slowing economy and rising interest rates, their earnings have been detrimentally affected. Oh dear. Oh my. How tragic is that? Isn't it amazing to see the power of the PR machine spinning madly in the background even with a business as profitable as the ASB bank? Isn't it sickening to see that within the same outward gush of hot halitosis breath, laced with stale gin and tonic f