News
ANZ Banking Group (AA/Aa1) (ANZ) became the third of the big four Australian banks to price a billion dollar unguaranteed deal in 2009 on May 5 as it sold exactly A$1 billion (US$740.2 million) of three-year paper at 128 basis points over swap in a self-led transaction.
Speculation is growing that the forthcoming Australian federal budget will include a commitment to reigniting the market for inflation-linked commonwealth government securities (CGS), which was suspended in the 2003 budget when Australia concentrated its then-limited federal debt issuance in shorter-dated treasury bonds.
Tabcorp (BBB+) closed its five-year bond offer on April 30 having added A$84 million (US$60.86 million) to the initial A$200 million allocation to the institutional and brokerage sector. With around 90 per cent of the total paper being placed with retail investors, lead managers believe the transaction will spark further corporate issuance in the Australian retail market
On April 29 Rabobank Nederland (AAA/Aaa) (Rabobank) set the margin on its New Zealand market PIE (portfolio investment entity) Capital Securities transaction at 375 basis points over swap and announced it has upsized the transaction, to NZ$330 million (US$186.85 million) from the indicative level of NZ$200 million at launch.
The latest residential mortgage-backed security (RMBS) to be launched with backing from the Australian Office of Financial Management (AOFM) follows the pattern of recent asset-backed deals in Australia, splitting its senior tranches between a fast pay piece and a much larger one with a longer weighted average life (WAL).
National Australia Bank (AA/Aa1/AA) (NAB) entered the market for bonds not covered by the Australian government guarantee for the first time on April 29 with the largest such transaction yet seen – a total of A$1.5 billion (US$1.07 billion) of fixed and floating rate three year bonds.
The Kangaroo market, which had stood dormant for eight months until being reopened by KfW Bankengruppe (AAA/Aaa/AAA) (KfW) on April 27, saw its second transaction in two days when European Investment Bank (AAA/Aaa/AAA) (EIB) priced a A$500 million (US$349.65 million) increase to its August 2013 line.
On April 23 KfW Bankengruppe (KfW) (AAA/Aaa/AAA) broke the eight-month drought in the Kangaroo bond market with a A$150 million (US$108 million) increase to its January 2012 bonds, bringing the size of this line to A$1.4 billion. The tap, led by TD Securities (TD), priced at 75 basis points over mid swap.
In its annual corporate default and ratings transitions study for the Australian and New Zealand market in 2008, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) says the downgrade to upgrade ratio increased significantly from the levels of recent years but had yet to reach its peak from the last Australian economic slowdown.
Having completed its most recent round of residential mortgage-backed security (RMBS) investments, on April 17 the Australian Office of Financial Management (AOFM) announced the next three originators to which it will allocate funds as part of its A$8 billion (US$5.75 billion) injection into the Australian mortgage sector.
Over A$1 billion (US$724 million) of residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS) has been priced by a brace of Australian issuers in the past week, but with the Australian Office of Financial Management (AOFM) continuing to be the cornerstone investor in all transactions market participants are starting to ask for the agency to extend its buying programme beyond its current A$8 billion commitment.
Rabobank Nederland (Rabobank) is seeking indications of interest for a return to the New Zealand hybrid market, with the issuer planning to use the portfolio investment entity (PIE) structure to offer favourable tax treatment to retail investors. The PIE Capital Securities will be issued by a special purpose entity, Rabo Capital Securities, established in New Zealand as a subsidiary of Rabobank.