Briefs: CITIC CLSA is PEXA exit strategy adviser, Prime housing loans in arrears increased, new appo

Property Exchange Australia is CITIC CLSA Capital Markets' first big client after the property transfer site confirmed it had appointed the adviser to assess the prospects of a possible A$1 billion listing or sale at some time in the next two years, the AFR reports. PEXA shareholders include Macquarie Group, four state governments, the Big Four banks, Link Group and ex-Toll Group chairman Paul Little. Several of this group want to sell out to avoid conflicts.

Standard & Poor's said Australian prime housing loans in arrears increased in May for nonconforming and prime residential mortgage-backed securities. Arrears levels for prime RMBS rose one basis point in May to 1.07 per cent from 1.06 per cent a month earlier, according to the report. S&P said: "Nonconforming RMBS in arrears rose to 4.95 per cent in May from 4.83 per cent in April, though the amount of loans in arrears in each of the 31 to 60 and 61 to 90 days categories fell." At 0.81 per cent, the major banks have the lowest arrears of all originator types.

Peer-to-peer lender SocietyOne has hired Mitchel Harad, a Lending Club executive from San Francisco, as its chief marketing officer. The US P2P lender raised $US1 billion (A$1.35 billion) in December in a blockbuster initial public offering, and the AFR said speculation is mounting that the high profile Lending Club backers are considering that could happen here. The appointment suggests SocietyOne's high-profile shareholders, including media moguls James Packer and Lachlan Murdoch, could be lining up for a payday via a stockmarket listing in the coming years.