Briefs: Suncorp looks to bonds, Macquarie moves house and more

Suncorp Bank is considering selling covered bonds, chief executive David Foster told Dow Jones. Foster told the news service that Suncorp is looking at opportunities to sell this form of term debt in the US, Asia and Europe, and domestically, and has been "encouraged by the appetite for our products".

Macquarie Group has confirmed plans to move its head office in Sydney along Martin Place to number 48, the former headquarters of the Commonwealth Bank. Macquarie is buying the building, as well as a second building, in Elizabeth Street, The Australian reports. Macquarie's present head office is at 1 Martin Place. It has also recently occupied offices on the Darling Harbour side of the city's CBD.

Smartphones and other mobile devices were used to make US$5 billion of purchases globally on the online shopping portal eBay last year - an increase of 150 per cent over mobile payments in 2010. eBay Australia vice president Deborah Sharkey said yesterday that the group expects mobile payments for purchases on eBay to rise to US$8 billion this year. Sharkey released eBay's Online Business Index, an annual e-commerce survey. Among the findings were that eBay's top 2000 Australian sellers increased revenue by an average 45 per cent. More than 150 of those businesses turned over more than $1 million.