Commonwealth Bank of Australia
The sustainable-finance nexus
Commonwealth Bank of Australia is turbocharging the sustainable-finance operation within its institutional business, including some key new hires and more to come. The team is focused on working with clients to gain deep understanding of their ESG risks and, from there, assisting with transition. The bank’s ambition is high.
New Zealand capital market gears up for growth as recovery starts to take shape
New Zealand’s return to growth is shifting the focus to what lies ahead: economic recovery shaped by reform, resilience and market agility. At the annual KangaNews women in New Zealand capital markets roundtable, participants discussed how the local market is positioned for the rebound, what still needs work and from where opportunities might emerge.
Kiwis of all stripes flock offshore in search of pricing and liquidity advantages
New Zealand borrowers are increasingly heading offshore to fund as foreign markets offer up pricing and size outcomes that in many cases outperform those available at home. With at least seven foreign currency deals hitting screens in Q1, the pipeline started the new year in good health – and some issuers even say future activity may not be restricted to senior format.
A growing market in a troubled world
Two themes emerged most clearly from discussions at the KangaNews Debt Capital Market Summit 2025: the overall healthy state of Australia’s fixed-income market, and the increasingly turbulent world in which it operates. Taking place less than 24 hours before the latest big blow against global free trade taken by the US government, the Trump administration and its consequences were not far from every conversation.
Money talks and so does climate change
The KangaNews Sustainable Debt Summit took place in Sydney on 3 April at a time in which the sustainable finance sector is being forced to reiterate its value and purpose. Market leaders say incorporating sustainability considerations into investment decisions is a necessity, not a choice – and the politicisation of the sector does not change why markets decided to address the issue in the first place.