Westpac's Samurai not enough to offset record Kangaroo activity

In a relatively quiet week for offshore issuance from Australasian names the most apparent trend was the reopening of currency markets outside the US dollar, with transactions priced in Canadian dollars, Swiss francs and – with easily the most volume – yen. However, despite Westpac Banking Corporation (Westpac)'s (AA/Aa1/AA-) ¥111.3 billion (US$1.22 billion) Samurai deal there was, for once, more Kangaroo market activity than issuance going offshore.