K62 Finance

Big four in great rate cuts rip-off

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Adam Creighton, David Tanner
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 10-Jul-19

The gap between the cash rate and the average variable mortgage interest rate of Australia’s major banks was consistently around 1.8 percentage points between 1997 and 2007. However, this gap has widened significantly since then, and the two consecutive official interest rate cuts has increased it to a 25-year high of 3.94 percentage points. The banks contend that factors such as rising funding costs, capital requirements and increased regulation mean it has become more difficult to move in tandem with the Reserve Bank.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Local staff to be hit hard in Deutsche cull

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Joyce Moullakis, Bridget Carter
The Australian – Page: 17 & 22 : 9-Jul-19

Deutsche Bank’s decision to close its global equity division will result in the loss of at least 50 jobs in Australia. The move will affect staff working in equities trading, sales, ­research and ­equity capital markets, while sources have indicated that jobs in its advisory operations will also be cut. Deutsche’s exit from equities trading is part of a broader restructuring which will result in the loss of 18,000 jobs worldwide. Restructuring costs are forecast to result in Deutsche posting a loss of EUR2.8bn for the second quarter.

CORPORATES
DEUTSCHE BANK AG, NOMURA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CIMB SECURITIES INTERNATIONAL (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, CLSA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, JEFFERIES AND COMPANY, WILSONS ADVISORY AND STOCKBROKING LIMITED, CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS LIMITED

Lending laws no problem, ASIC insists

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 17 & 18 : 8-Jul-19

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission has been blamed in some areas for falling house prices and a decline in credit growth, due to a perception that it is taking a tougher approach to responsible lending. However, ASIC commissioner Sean Hughes notes that responsible lending laws have not changed since 2010, nor has its guidance in this area. ASIC advised in February that it will release an updated guidance note on responsible lending by September.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC

Time is money as CBA waits on cuts

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Cliona O’Dowd
The Australian – Page: 21 & 24 : 5-Jul-19

The Commonwealth Bank’s decision to delay a 19 basis point reduction in its variable home loan interest rates until 23 July will boost its interest income by $43m. The other three major banks will also gain additional interest income from mortgage customers by delaying rate cuts by periods ranging from nine days to two weeks. It is estimated that the big four banks’ move to delay passing on the official interest rate cut in full or in part will boost their interest income by a combined $97m.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, SHAW AND PARTNERS LIMITED, MOZO PTY LTD, HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD, FIRSTMAC LIMITED, ME BANK

ING home loan customers most satisfied just ahead of Bendigo Bank and Suncorp

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 5-Jul-19

The satisfaction rating of the home loan customers of Australia’s big four banks was 71.1% in May, well below the 76.8% rating given by their non-home customers. The home loan customers of the other major banks all have much higher satisfaction than the big four and are closer to the rating given by their non-home loan customers. ING has the highest home loan customer satisfaction with 88.9%, followed by Bendigo Bank (86.2%) and Suncorp (81.0%). The CBA is the best performer among the big four with 72.5%, followed by Westpac (70.7%), NAB (70.4%) and ANZ (69.6%). These are some of the latest findings from Roy Morgan’s ‘Customer Satisfaction report on Consumer Banking in Australia’, May 2019. This report is based on in-depth interviews conducted face-to-face with over 50,000 consumers per annum in their homes and covers over two decades. The latest data in this release is for the six months to May 2019.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, ING BANK (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, BENDIGO BANK, SUNCORP BANK, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Lenders reluctant to pass on cut in full

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Joyce Moullakis
The Australian – Page: 19 : 4-Jul-19

Macquarie Bank, Suncorp, ME Bank and ING will reduce their interest rates on a range of mortgage products by less than the latest 25 basis point reduction in the cash rate. They have joined Westpac, National Australia Bank and the Commonwealth Bank in not passing on the Reserve Bank’s interest rate cut in full. However, a number of smaller lenders have reduced their mortgage rates by the full amount, including Athena, Resimac and Newcastle Permanent.

CORPORATES
MACQUARIE BANK LIMITED – ASX MBL, SUNCORP BANK, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, ME BANK, ING BANK (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, ATHENA HOME LOANS PTY LTD, RESIMAC GROUP LIMITED – ASX RMC, NEWCASTLE PERMANENT BUILDING SOCIETY LIMITED, STATE CUSTODIANS PTY LTD, RACQ BANK, HOMESTAR FINANCE PTY LTD, REDUCE HOME LOANS, RATECITY PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SHAW AND PARTNERS LIMITED

Big four rate game plan takes shape

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 3-Jul-19

The ANZ Bank’s s variable mortgage interest rates for all customers will be reduced by 25 basis points, in line with the Reserve Bank’s official interest rate cut. The Commonwealth Bank in turn will reduce its rates for interest-only customers by 25 basis points, although those with principal and interest loans will receive a rate cut of just 19 basis points. Meanwhile, Westpac will reduce its mortgage interest rates by 20 basis points, and the ANZ Bank’s will be cut by 19 basis points.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, ATHENA HOME LOANS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

RBA to cut twice more, say economists

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Patrick Commins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 18 : 1-Jul-19

A quarterly survey of economists shows that there is a widely held expectation that the Reserve Bank of Australia will reduce official interest rates two more times during 2019. This would reduce the cash rate to 0.75 per cent, but David Plank of the ANZ Banks says further rate cuts could be necessary, depending on the outlook for the global economy and the Australian dollar. David Bassanese of BetaShares says the RBA would be unlikely to take the cash rate below 0.5 per cent, and it would probably opt for quantitative easing instead. Many economists expect a rate cut on 2 July.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, BETASHARES CAPITAL LIMITED, ST GEORGE BANK LIMITED, BIS OXFORD ECONOMICS PTY LTD, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, MOODY’S ANALYTICS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Banks to lift their game with new code

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 1-Jul-19

The Australian Banking Association’s updated Banking Code of Practice comes into effect on 1 July, and CEO Anna Bligh says it is an "important step" in restoring consumers’ trust in banks following the Hayne royal commission. The revised code will provide increased protection for consumers, and require banks to treat them fairly. The first phase of the open banking regime also commences on 1 July.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BANKING ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, VOLT BANK LIMITED, FINANCIAL COUNSELLING AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL COMPLAINTS AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL COMPLAINTS AUTHORITY

History suggests rate cut in July unlikely

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Matthew Cranston
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 : 28-Jun-19

Financial markets have priced in a 72 per cent chance that the Reserve Bank of Australia will reduce the cash rate by 25 basis points in July. However, analysis shows that the central bank has reduced the cash rate in two consecutive months on just 12 of the 46 occasions on which it has eased monetary policy since 1990. The RBA has not reduced the cash rate in two consecutive months since 1992, when there were concerns about the outlook for the global economy. Chris Read of Morgan Stanley says an easing pause in July would enable the RBA to pursue a gradual cutting cycle.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC