Options narrow for South Canterbury Finance

South Canterbury Finance has had its 'BBB-/A-3' long- and short-term credit ratings from S&P placed on CreditWatch with negative implications. This is a result of the financier incurring a NZ$37 m.. read more

QBE looks better to S&P

S&P narrowed the two notch rating differential between the holding company, QBE Insurance Group Ltd., and its core operating subsidiaries to one, by raising its counterparty rating to 'A' from 'A-.. read more

Bond investors can't get enough

Over the first half of 2009 domestic investors have regained their appetite for corporate bonds. Over the six months to June 2009, banks, supranationals and one or two others sold a total of A$44.8 bi.. read more

Offshore A$ bond issuance breaking records too

Offshore corporate bond issuance by Australian entities has also been record breaking. The total for the first half 2009 came in at the equivalent of A$82.1 billion, well ahead of the A$63.2 billion o.. read more

Wondering why AOFM went AWOL last week

NSW Treasury Corporation was the only issuer in the government sector last week, selling A$825 million of May 2023 bonds to take outstandings to A$1.08 billion. TCorp was able to sell the bonds at a y.. read more

S&P affirms the big four

The week before last Moody's reiterated its negative outlook on the Australian banking system, and last week Standard & Poor's followed and affirmed the 'AA/Stable/A-1+' ratings assigned to the fo.. read more

Liquidity brighter at mid-year

Despite the superficially rapid and significant rebound that has taken place in equity markets over recent months, the equity markets are pretty much flat relative to where they started 2009, as the (.. read more