K: Financial and Insurance Services

Stoked US pushes rates up, $A down

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Original article by John Kehoe, Jacob Greber, Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 10 : 5-Oct-18

The Australian dollar fell to a 2.5 year low of $US0.7078 on 4 October, with analysts tipping it could soon fall to below $US0.70 on the back of rising US interest rates. A combination of higher oil prices and a falling Australian dollar could push petrol prices up above $2 per litre, although a weaker dollar could help to make Australian exports more competitive and lead to reduced demand for more expensive imports. Fitch Solutions Macro Research suggested a rise in oil prices could trigger inflation, which could force the Reserve Bank to lift interest rates sooner than expected.

CORPORATES
FITCH AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, GRANT SAMUEL AND ASSOCIATES PTY LTD, OUTLOOK ECONOMICS, HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD

Trust gap will crank up bank funding costs

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Original article by Jonathan Shapiro
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 & 20 : 4-Oct-18

Fitch Ratings has warned that a loss of trust in Australian banks in the wake of the financial services royal commission may result in higher wholesale funding costs. Fitch adds that banks may find it hard to pass the increased costs on to borrowers in the current climate. The credit ratings agency also notes that banks could potentially face increased compliance costs and a greater risk of class actions as a result of any recommendations made by the inquiry in its final report. Fitch has retained its negative outlook on banks.

CORPORATES
FITCH RATINGS LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, S&P GLOBAL RATINGS, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, CLSA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Hayne to lift lid on bank confessions

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Original article by Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 19 & 23 : 3-Oct-18

The financial services royal commission has selectively released information on the admissions of misconduct by the major banks. Commissioner Kenneth Hayne requested the information in early 2018, and a spokesman for the inquiry has downplayed suggestions that it may shortly release the banks’ full submissions. Industry sources have indicated that the potential for class actions against the banks will increase if the so-called "confession statements" are fully disclosed.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, CLAYTON UTZ, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

S&P pushes banks down global ranks

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Original article by Jonathan Shapiro
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 16 : 3-Oct-18

The global ranking of Australia’s major banks has fallen sharply in terms of risk adjusted capital, which is S&P Global Ratings’ preferred measure of the sector’s financial strength. The nation’s four largest banks are ranked in the 40th to 50th percentile in S&P’s latest survey of the world’s top 100 banks. The Financial System Inquiry in 2014 had recommend that the big four banks should be within the top quartile of global banks in terms of capital strength. Regaining "unquestionably strong" status would require them to raise more capital.

CORPORATES
S&P GLOBAL RATINGS, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, BANK FOR INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENTS, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB

RBA keeps cash rate at 1.5pc, but sees clouds on horizon

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Original article by Sarah Turner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 3-Oct-18

The latest quarterly survey of economists shows that the general consensus is that a rise in the cash rate is unlikely before late 2019. The Reserve Bank of Australia left official interest rates unchanged on 2 October, and governor Philip Lowe has reiterated that progress in reducing the unemployment rate and lifting inflation to the RBA’s target range of 2-3 per cent is likely to be gradual. Gareth Aird of the Commonwealth Bank expects the outlook for the housing market to influence the timing of any change in monetary policy.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB

Banking code of conduct needs more bite

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Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 2-Oct-18

The banking royal commission’s interim report urged the Australian Securities & Investments Commission to be aggressive in enforcing the Banking Code of Conduct. Australian Small Business & Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell has backed the commission’s call for ASIC to be more proactive in enforcing the Banking Code of Conduct, while she has suggested that many small businesses will be disappointed by the commission’s interim report.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SMALL BUSINESS AND FAMILY ENTERPRISE OMBUDSMAN, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, BANKWEST, AUSTRALIAN BANKERS’ ASSOCIATION

Risk of credit crunch is real and rising, UBS warns

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Original article by James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 2-Oct-18

Jonathan Mott of UBS has told clients that Australian banks’ profits are likely to come under pressure in the next several years as a result of the financial services royal commission. He says the risk of a credit crunch has been heightened following the release of the inquiry’s interim report. Mott adds that amongst other things, the final report is likely to recommend extending responsible lending obligations to small and medium enterprises and an overhaul of the way banks verify the expenses of borrowers.

CORPORATES
UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY

We’re at euphoric stage of cycle: Eley Griffiths

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Original article by Joyce Moullakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 2-Oct-18

Eley Griffiths Group’s co-founder Ben Griffiths is upbeat about the outlook for equities. He believes that global sharemarkets are at what Sir John Templeton dubbed the "euphoric" stage of the current bull market. Eley Griffiths boasts around $1.8bn worth of funds under management, and both its small companies fund and its emerging companies fund outperformed the S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Accumulation Index in 2017-18.

CORPORATES
ELEY GRIFFITHS GROUP PTY LTD, ELEY GRIFFITHS GROUP SMALL COMPANIES FUND, ELEY GRIFFITHS GROUP EMERGING COMPANIES FUND, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX SMALL ORDINARIES ACCUMULATION INDEX, AFTERPAY TOUCH GROUP LIMITED – ASX APT, PINNACLE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT GROUP LIMITED – ASX PNI, SIMS METAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED – ASX SGM, AUSTRALIS OIL AND GAS LIMITED – ASX ATS, BLUE SKY ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX BLA, NETWEALTH GROUP LIMITED – ASX NWL

Rates gulf with US is at its widest yet

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Original article by Patrick Commins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 28-Sep-18

The divergence between official interest rates in Australian and the US has widened to its highest level since the Reserve Bank adopted inflation targeting in the 1990s. The Federal Reserve’s 25 basis point increase in the cash rate is its eighth rate rise in less than three years, while the Reserve Bank has left rates on hold since August 2016. Bloomberg expects another two US rate rises in the next year, while Australian rates could well remain on hold. Economists say a further widening of the interest rate differential could put downward pressure on the Australian dollar.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, BLOOMBERG LP, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, CAPITAL ECONOMICS LIMITED

Banks’ legal bills in mega millions

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Original article by Misa Han, Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 28-Sep-18

Australia’s four major banks have incurred significant costs associated with the financial services royal commission. Westpac’s costs in the first half of 2018 were around $34m, and it expects its costs to be similar in the second half, while National Australia Bank has advised that its inquiry-related costs could rise to $30m in the second half, up from $10m in the first half. Meanwhile, law firms will miss out on a key source of revenue, as the royal commission’s own legal work is being handled by the Australian Government Solicitor.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, IOOF HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX IFL, AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SOLICITOR, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, CORRS CHAMBERS WESTGARTH, JOHNSON WINTER AND SLATTERY