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The return of the major banks to the domestic corporate bond market over the last two weeks has seen issuance, for the month of November so far, exceed that for all of October. Issuance for the month.. read more

European Investment Bank also helped the issuance totals with a A$1.5 billion bond issue with an April 2015 maturity. The bonds priced at Commonwealth government bonds plus 83 basis points or around 2.. read more

Westpac was the next of the big four banks to return to the market last week, selling a total A$2.5 billion of debt. Westpac also became the first of the Australian banks to issue, in the domestic mar.. read more

As for other domestic issuance, KangaNews reported early in the week a A$230 million, four year, private placement undertaken by Bank Nederlandse Gemeenten. BNG was last seen in this market three year.. read more

In the structured finance sector, the AOFM-backed FirstMac Mortgage Funding Trust Series 2-2009 RMBS issue was upsized and priced. The size of the issue was increased to A$470 million from A$400 milli.. read more

ME Bank last week launched its latest non-AOFM backed mortgage-backed securities issue via SMHL Securitisation Fund 2009-3. read more

Moody's lowered the bank financial strength ratings assigned to five South African banks, including Investec Bank Limited, by one notch to reflect the impact of deteriorating operating and macro condi.. read more

ASIC announced the formalisation of its previously flagged changes to the regulation of credit rating agencies in Australia, last week. The changes are mostly linked to the requirement that CRAs will.. read more

Australia Post lost its AAA credit rating from Standard & Poor's last week, as S&P lowered the rating to AA+ on a weakening of Australia Post's stand alone credit profile. read more

The debate over what to do about banks that are too big to fail continued last week. There is a certain orthodoxy that appears to be emerging in terms of the establishment view, but there remains a ru.. read more