Briefs: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank bill, Defence Bank branches out, CBA's rumoured RMBS de

Banking Day staff
  • Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey yesterday introduced a bill to enable Australia's membership of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.  Australia's initial shareholding will be around US$3.7 billion, including US$738 million in paid-in capital, Hockey said. The remaining US$2.9 billion in callable capital will be a contingent liability against the Commonwealth. The Bill will also authorise the responsible minister to issue promissory notes to the Bank to discharge Australia's financial obligations.

  • Defence Bank opened a branch in the Queensland city of Townsville this week - its fortieth. Defence Bank chief executive Jon Linehan said the bank has been upgrading its branches and this one is the most advanced, boasting internet access and iPads that connect customers to a video call centre. Linehan said the branch also had a community feel, with a play area for children and a lounge with coffee facilities.

  • NAB's securitisation team, writing in their weekly note to clients, have cited Bloomberg's comment that CBA is scheduled to price a Medallion RMBS deal on 28 August. "We have yet to see any other public references to this deal however, with the possibly one or two deals to come before it, August, like it has for the last two years running, could turn out to be another big month for primary issuance," NAB said. That said, and with year to date issuance currently standing at $16.9 billion, we doubt the market is going to be able to catch up to last year's run rate (where $20.9 billion had been issued by month end).

  • A new report from Moody's Investors Service, based on published disclosures from 62 banks in America, Europe and Asia, shows stronger international regulatory standards have led to changes in how banks deal with risk within their firms and outside their walls. For example, US and European banks convened risk committee meetings on average nine times a year, while reported data showed that banks in Asia met on five or fewer occasions a year. Moody's analysts also noted that, while the vast majority of banks now have a chief risk officer, the CRO's stature varies across banks.