The impact on the finance sector of natural disasters in Pacific rim countries is beginning to be known with results from Australia revealed this week.

As well as the Canterbury earthquakes and the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, Australia was also hit badly with flooding at the start of this year.

See weekly market update video below with IRG BOP's Jonathan York.

The cost estimates of these disasters are trickling in now, with their impact a reduction in Australian GDP.

It is still too soon to know precisely the costs of the New Zealand and Japanese disasters.