The state development bank of North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW), NRW.BANK (AA-/Aa1/AAA) – which has A$300 million (US$271.65 million) outstanding in its only Kangaroo line – has announced a change in ownership structure which will bind bank and state more closely together. The state has increased its equity share to 98.9 per cent from 64.74 per cent while the shares of the Regional Associations of the Rhineland and Westphalia-Lippe have dropped to 0.7 percent each from 17.63 percent.