Westpac prices first unguaranteed domestic benchmark

Westpac Banking Corporation (Westpac) (AA/Aa1) priced its first unguaranteed benchmark transaction of 2009 on May 26, selling A$1.7 billion (US$1.32 billion) of fixed and floating rate three-year paper at 120 basis points over swap in a deal which the bank hopes will presage a return to predominantly unguaranteed issuance in the 2009/10 financial year.