Briefs: Council of Europe drops off repo list, Macquarie CEO talk, RBA SPRINTs payments and CBA pick

27 September 2012 4:16PM

Briefs,

• The kangaroo bonds of the Council of Europe Development Bank will no longer qualify as collateral for repo operations (repurchase agreements) with the Reserve Bank of Australia, after a cut in its credit rating yesterday. Fitch Ratings cut the long-term rating of Council of Europe to AA+ from AAA.

• Shemara Wikramanayake may be firming as the preferred, internal successor to chief executive Nicholas Moore at Macquarie Group, columnist Michael West speculated in the Sydney Morning Herald. West based the speculation in part on the reshuffle last week of A$4.7 billion in assets to the Macquarie Funds Group.

• The Reserve Bank of Australia has established a team of five to work towards a central payment hub, ZDNet reported. The RBA is using the acronym SPRINT - for "send, pay, and receive in no time" - Tony Richards, head of payments and policy, told an industry conference yesterday.

• Commonwealth Bank has signed a 10-year lease on 9000 square metres at the Collins Square development at the Docklands end of Collins St in Melbourne, the Financial Review reported. CBA is expected to move about 800 people from its building at 385 Bourke Street.