Kiwibank tops New Zealand customer satisfaction ratings

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 2-Mar-18

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that Kiwibank had the highest satisfaction rating of the largest New Zealand banks in the year to December 2017. Kiwibank had a rating of 83.9%, compared with 82.6% in 2016. Overall consumer satisfaction with banks in New Zealand was 78.2%, up from 77.1% in the previous year. Of the largest New Zealand banks, six showed improved satisfaction, with the biggest gains coming from BNZ (up 2.2% points to 79.6%) and ANZ (up 2.0% point to 79.6%). Meanwhile, of the largest banks considered by customers to be their main financial institution, TSB Bank customers with 91.7%, have the highest likelihood (high advocates) of recommending them to a friend or colleague. They are followed by The Co-Operative Bank (86.6%) and Kiwibank (73.3%).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, KIWIBANK LIMITED, BANK OF NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, TSB BANK LIMITED, CO-OPERATIVE BANK

Satisfaction with banks up again in January

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Feb-18

New research from Roy Morgan shows that customer satisfaction with Australia’s banks in the six months to January 2018 was 81.2%, up from 80.8% in December. This is the best figure seen since June 2017, and it is now well above the long-term average of 73.8% calculated since 2001. The Commonwealth Bank again had the highest customer satisfaction rating of the big four in December (up 0.5 % at 80.1%), followed by NAB (up 0.5% to 79.1%). However, Bendigo Bank (88.4%) had the highest customer satisfaction rating among the 10 largest consumer banks, followed by Bank of Queensland (85.8%). Meanwhile, the mortgage customers of the smaller banks continue to have higher satisfaction ratings than the big four.

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

Satisfaction with banks up again in January

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Feb-18

New research from Roy Morgan shows that customer satisfaction with Australia’s banks in the six months to January 2018 was 81.2%, up from 80.8% in December. This is the best figure seen since June 2017, and it is now well above the long-term average of 73.8% calculated since 2001. The Commonwealth Bank again had the highest customer satisfaction rating of the big four in December (up 0.5 % at 80.1%), followed by NAB (up 0.5% to 79.1%). However, Bendigo Bank (88.4%) had the highest customer satisfaction rating among the 10 largest consumer banks, followed by Bank of Queensland (85.8%). Meanwhile, the mortgage customers of the smaller banks continue to have higher satisfaction ratings than the big four.

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

ASIC expands rate-rigging case at CBA

Original article by Patrick Durkin
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 27-Feb-18

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission is now alleging that Commonwealth Bank traders tried to manipulate the interbank lending rate on six occasions. It had previously only contended that such manipulation had occurred on three dates. National Australia Bank and the ANZ Bank have already paid fines to settle their cases with ASIC, while Federal Court Justice Jonathan Beach is expected to soon hand down his decision in regard to ASIC’s case against Westpac.

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

ANZ ramps up home loan growth in mortgage race

Original article by James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 21-Feb-18

The ANZ Bank has advised that its mortgage lending grew at a faster than the broader sector in the December 2017 quarter. However, the number of residential home loans that are in arrears increased from 0.59 per cent to 0.60 per cent quarter-on-quarter. ANZ’s quarterly statement on bank capital also shows that its customers continued to switch from interest-only loans principal-and-interest loans during the quarter, while its common equity tier one capital ratio rose from 10.57 per cent to 10.82 per cent.

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

Private equity ready to splash $7.7bn cash

Original article by Scott Murdoch
The Australian – Page: 17 & 18 : 19-Feb-18

The Australian Private Equity & Venture Capital Association has reported that the industry raised $A3.35 billion in 2017. Local private equity funds invested $A3.38 billion in deals in 2017, while private equity and venture capital funds are estimated to have a $A7.7 billion "war chest" at their disposal. Vic­toria Allen of Minter Ellison says sectors that can expect to attract private equity and venture capital investment include healthcare, technology and disability services.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN PRIVATE EQUITY AND VENTURE CAPITAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, MINTER ELLISON, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, KKR AND COMPANY LP, KOHLBERG KRAVIS ROBERTS AND COMPANY, VARDE PARTNERS INCORPORATED, I-MED/MIA NETWORK LIMITED, EQUITY TRUSTEES LIMITED – ASX EQT, PERMIRA ADVISERS LIMITED, LASER CLINICS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, CLAYTON UTZ, FORT STREET CAPITAL PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, REDCAPE PROPERTY GROUP, MOELIS AND COMPANY, DIXON GROUP, VENTIA, APOLLO GROUP INCORPORATED, FITNESS AUSTRALIA, QUADRANT CAPITAL PTY LTD

A patient RBA risks playing catch-up later

Original article by Patrick Commins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 19-Feb-18

Westpac estimates that there is a 60 per cent chance that the Reserve Bank will increase official interest rates in 2018. There had been general consensus in financial markets early in 2018 that a rate rise before the end of the year was almost certain, but expectations have been dampened by factors such as market volatility and the latest inflation data. However, other major central banks are tightening monetary policy, prompting some experts to warn that the Reserve Bank may need to increase rates more aggressively at some stage.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, BANK OF AMERICA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD

Rate rise likely as CPI starts to edge up

Original article by Harriet Torry
The Australian – Page: 23 : 16-Feb-18

New figures show that the US has recorded its biggest monthly increase in inflation since March 2005. The larger-than-expected increase in January has increased the likelihood that the Federal Reserve will lift interest rates in March; the central bank considers an inflation rate of two per cent to be an indication of a healthy economy, but it does not want inflation to get much higher than that. Investors took the January inflation figures in their stride, with the Dow Jones closing up around one per cent. Originally published in "The Wall Street Journal".

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, WELLS FARGO AND COMPANY, PPG INDUSTRIES, WALT DISNEY COMPANY, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, SHERWIN-WILLIAMS

Credit mischief costs banks $50m

Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 15-Feb-18

The financial services royal commission will initially focus on banks’ responsible lending practices in relation to credit cards, home loans and car finance packages. Meanwhile, new figures show that the Australian Securities & Investments Commission has ordered banks to pay $A50m in refunds and compensation to credit card customers over the last two years. Westpac, ANZ and Citi are among the banks that have been forced to reimburse customers during this period.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, CITIBANK PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

NAB posts $1.65b in Q1 cash profit

Original article by James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 9-Feb-18

Shares in National Australia Bank closed 2.3 per cent higher at $A28.90 on 8 February, after the major bank reported a cash profit of $A1.65bn for the first quarter of 2017-18. The result was three per cent higher than previously, while there was a 2.4 per decline in bad and doubtful debts. However, NAB’s expenses increased by four per cent during the quarter, and the bank expects expenses to rise by another 5-8 per cent during the remainder of the financial year. Citigroup has upgraded its recommendation on NAB’s shares to "buy".

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, INVESTORS MUTUAL LIMITED, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA