Online articles

• Australian borrowers do the heavy lifting

  At one stage in 2020 it seemed Australia’s government-sector borrowers might end up with funding requirements larger than the market’s ability to support them. By the time the sector’s biggest issuers came together at a KangaNews roundtable in early February 2021, however, tasks had mainly come under control and issuance was well ahead of the required run rate.

• Divergent paths, similar results for QE down under

  As environmental, social and governance issues become ever-more integrated with the credit investment process in Australia, the issue of pricing consequences for strong and weak performers is more relevant than ever. This is no longer just a question for direct emitters but also for companies with business models adjacent to emissions-intensive industries.

• High-grade issuer profiles and perspectives 2021

  Key data and information on 15 high-grade lenders active in Australia and New Zealand, including programme information, funding strategy, debt data and issuer insights. 

• New Zealand issuers funding the upward recovery journey

  New Zealand’s government-sector issuers experienced market upheaval as severe as their neighbours in Australia during the height of the COVID-19 crisis in March and April. Intervention from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) and an enviable pace of economic reopening have improved the outlook, but issuers at a KangaNews-Westpac roundtable in June say plenty of challenges remain to be faced.

• No false moves

  The Australian sovereign and semi-government bond market faced game-changing challenges in 2020. Greatly increased issuance requirements seem baked in for the foreseeable future, but those most responsible for distributing and trading the bonds appear relatively confident that – despite resumed volatility in late February – the market is set up well for the pandemic end game.