Briefs: Westpac to cut another 70 jobs, Afterpay raises equity capital
The Financial Services Union has notified its members of Westpac's plans to cut another 70 jobs from across the group. This latest round of announcements, which includes the offshoring of some roles, will impact 51 commercial banking roles, 14 everyday banking services roles, four consumer third party roles and one BTFG lending mortgage insurance role. Online retail finance company Afterpay, which listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in May, has gone back to the market for more equity capital. The company has completed a A$36 million raising, issuing 15 million shares at $2.40 a share in a placement to sophisticated and professional investors. The placement takes the total number of shares on issue to 180 million. The company said a number of new institutional investors came onto its register in the process. It said the capital raising would allow it to support significantly larger sales. Afterpay also said it was in the process of putting a $20 million receivables funding facility in place with a major bank.