Hockey fans infrastructure 'alternative'

The Australian Government is "developing a plan for growth that will be centred around infrastructure" and which will feature "alternative financing options" that are yet to be specified, the treasu.. read more

Business lending looking perky

Demand for business loans is consolidating, a rare sign of improving times for banks. The Australian Bureau of Statistics says the trend series for the value of commercial finance commitments increas.. read more

Re-branding taxes Beyond profit

Profits tumbled for Beyond Bank Australia in the year to June 2013, falling 18 per cent to A$23.2 million. Formerly Community CPS, the Adelaide-based credit union re-branded as a mutual bank in August.. read more

Analysis: Hard lessons for Westpac

The Capital Finance business is one of the great entrepreneurial success stories of Australia's finance sector. Founded by the Bank of Scotland in the mid-1990s, Capital chased business mainly from s.. read more

IMB plans second off-market buyback

Wollongong building society IMB said over the weekend that it plans to buy back up to A$14 million worth of its ordinary shares through an off-market tender. read more

ME Bank rating lifted to BBB+

Standard & Poor's says it has lifted its long-term issuer credit rating on Members Equity Bank to BBB+, from BBB. S&P affirmed the short-term rating at A-2, and said the bank's outlook is st.. read more

Fixed interest in favour

Fans of fixed interest can take some heart from a revival of non-government bond turnover during the year to June 2013. The Australian Financial Markets Association said, in its annual Financial Ma.. read more

Stop-gap pay rise for CBA staff

Most of the Commonwealth Bank's 23,000 employees will received a pay rise of 3.75 per cent, back-dated to July 1, under a short-term rollover deal negotiated with the Finance Sector Union and approv.. read more