Foreign banks fill lending void

Original article by Scott Murdoch
The Australian – Page: 23 : 30-Nov-16

Data from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority shows that the average mortgage balance has risen from $A244,000 in 2015 to $A255,000. However, the value of new home loans grew by only 0.1 per cent year-on-year in the September 2016 quarter. A recent move by Australia’s major banks to reduce their lending to residential developers has also seen the value of offshore banks’ lending to local developers rise from $A1.49bn to $A2.65bn in the last year. Meanwhile, data from the Housing Industry Association shows that sales of new detached homes and apartments fell by 8.2 per cent and 9.2 per cent respectively in October.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, HOUSING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LIMITED, MORNINGSTAR PTY LTD

Fortescue in $US473m deal for ships funding

Original article by Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 15-Nov-16

Pure-play iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group will finance its new fleet of bulk cargo vessels primarily via a $US473m loan from the China Development Bank Financial Leasing Company. Fortescue CEO Nev Power says it could potentially lead to more Chinese banks arranging structured financing deals in Australia. The fleet of eight very large ore carriers will cost $US556m in total, with delivery of the final one scheduled for mid-2018.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, CHINA DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL LEASING COMPANY LIMITED, PATERSONS SECURITIES LIMITED

Banks reject Turnbull demand

Original article by Phillip Coorey, Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 4-Aug-16

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has criticised the major banks for failing to reduce their interest rates by the full 25 basis point reduction in the cash rate on 2 August 2016. Turnbull says the banks have a "social licence" and their CEOs should explain why the rate cut was not passed on to their customers in full. ANZ Bank CEO Shayne Elliott has conceded that banks should do more to explain their decisions on interest rates, but notes that wholesale funding costs are rising and the banks will be subject to new capital requirements.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BANKERS’ ASSOCIATION

PayPal takes $85m slice of SME lending pie

Original article by Michael Bennet
The Australian – Page: 23 : 8-Jul-16

PayPal has written more than $A85 million worth of loans to about 3,000 small businesses in Australia since late 2014. Darrell Esch, the global general manager of small and medium business lending at PayPal, is amazed by the rate of growth at PayPal Working Capital. The program’s combined figure for loans in the US, Great Britain and Australia exceeds $US2 billion ($A2.6 billion).

CORPORATES
PAYPAL AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, PAYPAL INCORPORATED, SOCIETYONE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, PROSPA FINANCIAL PTY LTD, MACQUARIE SECURITIES PTY LTD, ETTITUDE AUSTRALIA

Tax breaks to lift borrowing

Original article by Clancy Yeates
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 18-May-15

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) expects more small businesses to take out loans as a result of the Australian Government’s May 2015 Budget. CBA’s Clive van Horen says the $A5.5bn small business package should boost the confidence of small businesses and provide them with the incentive to invest in new equipment. However, TS Lim of Bell Potter says that even with the tax breaks, many small businesses will be reluctant to increase their debt.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BELL POTTER SECURITIES LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Small business warning

Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 1-Apr-15

The Australian Bankers’ Association’s submission on the financial system inquiry has broadly supported the recommendations on increased capital requirements for the nation’s banks. However, it has questioned the need for local banks to be in the top quartile of banks globally. The submission also raises concerns over the proposal for credit contracts to be covered by laws on unfair contracts, noting the potential impact on loans to small businesses

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BANKERS’ ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION

NAB tells rivals it is ready for a fight

Original article by James Eyers, Joyce Moullakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 16 : 31-Oct-14

National Australia Bank (NAB) posted a 4.5 per cent decline in net interest income from business lending in the year to 30 September 2014. CEO Andrew Thorburn says the banking major will pursue a range of measures to ensure that it remains Australia’s leading business bank, including hiring more business bankers. He has ruled out relaxing NAB’s lending standards in the sector. NAB has reported a 2013-14 profit of $A5.18bn

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, ARNHEM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, GOLDMAN SACHS AND PARTNERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED

Insolvencies fall but not for all

Original article by Su-Lin Tan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 24-Jul-14

New Australian Securities & Investments Commission data show that the rate of insolvencies among businesses has declined 19%, to now be below that of new company incorporations. Brendon Watkins, insolvency partner at law firm Minter Ellison, says one factor is the increased vigilance on lending risk at the major banks after the global financial crisis. The assessment is backed by Australian Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association CEO John Winter. However, the construction and personal services sectors still have elevated rates of insolvencies

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION|AUSTRALIAN RESTRUCTURING INSOLVENCY AND TURNAROUND ASSOCIATION|MINTER ELLISON|COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA|CRS WARNER KUGEL PTY LTD|AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF BUILDING|COUNCIL OF SMALL BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED|KELL AND RIGBY PTY LTD|ST HILLIERS CONSTRUCTION PTY LTD|WALTON CONSTRUCTION PTY LTD|REED CONSTRUCTIONS PTY LTD|HASTIE GROUP LIMITED|SOUTHERN CROSS CONSTRUCTIONS|NATIONAL BUILDPLAN GROUP PTY LTD

Bank repossesses bikie clubhouse

Original article by Chris Vedelago
The Age – Page: 12 : 10-Jul-14

A writ has been filed in the Supreme Court of Victoria by Commonwealth Bank of Australia, for the repossession of a property in London Drive, Bayswater. It is the clubhouse of the Immortals outlaw motorcycle gang, which has allegedly defaulted on $A117,000 worth of business loans at an interest rate of 8.3%-plus. The premises, searched by Victoria Police in 2013, house a licensed bar and are the venue of Immortals fund raising activities such as its annual Fancy Dress Schoolgirls Festival

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, IMMORTALS MOTORCYCLE CLUB, BANDIDOS MOTORCYCLE CLUB AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA, VICTORIA POLICE