• Fitch Ratings affirmed the long-term credit ratings for Bank of Queensland, Heritage Bank and Bendigo & Adelaide Bank yesterday. Fitch affirmed BoQ and Heritage at BBB+, saying their asset quality and profitability were more susceptible to deterioration than those of its peers because of its exposure to the Queensland economy. It affirmed Bendigo at A-, saying that "positive rating action is unlikely due to the bank's unresolved exposure to investors under Great Southern Limited's investment management scheme and earnings pressures stemming from competition for deposits and loans against a mildly weaker economic backdrop."• Swiss banking giant UBS could pay around US$1.5 billion (A$1.42 billion) to settle claims it manipulated the key Libor benchmark interest rate, Reuter reports. the anews agency quoted "a source familiar with the matter" but said a final deal was not expected before Wednesday.