K: Financial and Insurance Services

Stronger $A a bump for RBA rate hike

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Original article by Patrick Durkin
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 29-Jan-18

The Australian dollar rose above $US0.81 in offshore trading on the weekend of 27-28 January, extending its gains since early December to eight per cent. Factors such as a falling US dollar and strengthening commodity prices have contributed to the Australian currency’s recent rally. However, the dollar’s rise may affect the timing of any change in official interest rates. Meanwhile, Citigroup expects the currency to be trading at around its current level at the end of 2018, although Westpac anticipates a fall of around $US0.09.

CORPORATES
CITIGROUP PTY LTD, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD

ASIC slams banks over funds failure

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Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 15 & 18 : 25-Jan-18

A review of the financial advice industry by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission has focused on the four major banks and AMP, which collectively dominate the sector. The review concluded that there is a high level of non-compliance with laws requiring financial advisers to act in the best interests of their clients, with a majority of financial advisers recommending the banks’ own financial products rather than other ones on their approved product list. Financial planners will be subject to greater transparency with regard to approved product lists as a result of the review.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, 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, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN CONSUMERS’ ASSOCIATION

Carnell: banking inquiry should pass the pub test

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Original article by James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 24-Jan-18

Complaints about loans to small business and farmers are among those on which the banking royal commission will accept submissions, according to information released on 23 January. Kate Carnell, the small business and family enterprise ombudsman, previously headed an inquiry into small business loans in 2016. She says the banking royal commission must ensure that all interested parties are given the opportunity to make a submission.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SMALL BUSINESS AND FAMILY ENTERPRISE OMBUDSMAN

Banking inquiry to start next month

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Original article by Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 18 : 23-Jan-18

The banking royal commission will hold its first public hearing on 12 February, while its website has begun accepting submissions about alleged misconduct in the financial services industry. The Consumer Action Law Centre has made the first of two submissions, in which it has called upon the royal commission to focus on misconduct that affects disadvantaged consumers in particular. Meanwhile, Craig Williams of Citigroup has downgraded the Commonwealth Bank to a "sell" recommendation in the wake of its money-laundering scandal.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, CONSUMER ACTION LAW CENTRE, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Insurers admit avoiding cover for risky areas

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Original article by Alice Uribe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 23-Jan-18

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission is investigating the level of competition within the general insurance sector in northern Australia, along with premium increases in that part of the country. The ACCC is due to make its final report to the Treasurer by late 2020. Insurance companies have conceded that they avoid covering some properties in the region, which is prone to cyclones, but have denied suggestions that they have engaged in "premium price-gouging".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, QBE INSURANCE GROUP LIMITED – ASX QBE, INSURANCE COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX IAG, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN

AFIC left behind on rising resources

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Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 18 : 23-Jan-18

The Australian Foundation Investment Company has posted a 2017-18 interim profit of $A136.4m, which is 15.6 per higher than previously. Its investment portfolio achieved a return of 6.9 per cent for the half-year, while the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 gained 8.4 per cent. AFIC failed to benefit from a rally in small and mid-cap resources stocks, as its focus in the sector is on large-cap stocks. AFIC CEO Mark Freeman notes that elevated share price means it is hard to find stocks that are fairly valued at present.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN FOUNDATION INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED – ASX AFI, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, TREASURY WINE ESTATES LIMITED – ASX TWE, TRANSURBAN GROUP LIMITED – ASX TCL, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, WESTFIELD CORPORATION – ASX WFD, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, INCITEC PIVOT LIMITED – ASX IPL, COCA-COLA AMATIL LIMITED – ASX CCL, QBE INSURANCE GROUP LIMITED – ASX QBE

UBS warning on household debt

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Original article by Jonathan Shapiro
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 19-Jan-18

New figures show that Australia’s household debt-to-income ratio has risen by three per cent to a record 199.7 per cent, which UBS notes is one of the world’s highest. The increase is largely due to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ decision to include the debt of self-managed superannuation funds in the key indicator for the first time. UBS has forecast that the debt-to-income ratio will peak at around 205 per cent, and it has warned that rising household debt may affect demand for housing credit and the earnings of major banks. However, UBS is upbeat about the outlook for non-bank lenders.

CORPORATES
UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY

Cyclical stocks back in play as bulls charge on

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Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 22 : 19-Jan-18

Analysis by Hasan Tevfik of Credit Suisse shows that stocks with the lowest volatility have traded at an average price-earnings premium of nearly 10 per cent over the last decade. In contrast, stocks with the highest volatility have traded on an average PE discount of nearly 20 per cent. Tevfik says investors should rebalance their portfolios in favour of higher-volatility cyclical stocks rather than so-called bond proxies. Stocks he favours include BHP Billiton, Whitehaven Coal, Qantas and Harvey Norman.

CORPORATES
CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, WHITEHAVEN COAL LIMITED – ASX WHC, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, STOCKLAND – ASX SGP, MAGELLAN FINANCIAL GROUP LIMITED – ASX MFG, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, CHICAGO BOARD OPTIONS EXCHANGE VOLATILITY INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX

Health premium rises tipped

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Original article by Sarah-Jane Tasker, Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 15 : 18-Jan-18

There is speculation that private health insurance premiums will rise by an average of four per cent in 2018. Macquarie Group analysts estimate that Medibank and NIB will increase their premiums by an average of 3.85 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively. Macquarie has increased its share price targets for both insurers. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt expects the lowest increase in health insurance premiums for 17 years. He will announce the premium increases in the next several weeks.

CORPORATES
MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, NIB HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NHF, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED

Bank probe a funding risk

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Original article by Tom McIlroy, Jonathan Shapiro
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 16-Jan-18

Fitch Ratings says Australian banks may face an increase in wholesale funding costs if the Federal Government’s royal commission further erodes trust in the sector. The ratings agency notes that the Australian banking sector is particularly reliant on offshore funding. Meanwhile, royal commissioner Kenneth Hayne is expected to seek public submissions shortly, but Small Business & Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell says the inquiry must avoid being swamped by submissions. Financial services providers must lodge 50-page reports with the commission by the end of January.

CORPORATES
FITCH RATINGS LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SMALL BUSINESS AND FAMILY ENTERPRISE OMBUDSMAN, AUSTRALIAN BANKERS’ ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY