financetom
Business
financetom
/
Business
/
Australian regulator hikes ANZ's capital add-on citing bond scandal
News World Market Environment Technology Personal Finance Politics Retail Business Economy Cryptocurrency Forex Stocks Market Commodities
Australian regulator hikes ANZ's capital add-on citing bond scandal
Aug 25, 2024 1:34 PM

(Reuters) -Australia's bank regulator on Friday raised the amount of spare cash that No. 3 lender ANZ must keep on hand due to suspected wide-ranging misconduct at its bond trading unit, the first financial fallout from the growing scandal.

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) had been due to review a A$500 million ($335 million) capital add-on it imposed on ANZ and other big lenders in 2019 during a crackdown on industry misconduct, but instead raised ANZ's requirement by A$250 million, citing risk culture concerns.

The regulator also told Australia's seventh-largest listed company to hire an external party to review the causes of problems at its bond trading division, in addition to investigations already underway by the bank and the securities regulator.

The APRA order is the first tangible impact on the bank since media reports in May said the bank's traders had misreported the value of a 2023 government bond trade. ANZ has since said it fired and suspended traders and launched a multi-pronged probe taking in market-related activities and staff behaviour.

"ANZ is financially sound with strong capital and liquidity levels, however weaknesses in managing non-financial risk can lead to detrimental financial impacts and APRA has no tolerance for such weaknesses persisting," APRA Chair John Lonsdale said in a statement.

The regulator had told ANZ's board and executive team it wanted the problem's underlying drivers addressed, and "depending on the outcomes from ANZ's independent review, APRA will consider whether further action is required", Lonsdale added.

ANZ said in a statement that it acknowledged APRA's concerns and was expediting work that was already underway to address the issues. The bank was working with the regulator on the scope of the independent review, it added.

ANZ shares were down as much as 1% in early trading on Friday, more than a 0.4% dip on the broader market and compared to small gains in the other Big Four bank stocks, Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and National Australia Bank.

Though ANZ, which recently closed a A$5 billion purchase of insurer Suncorp's bank, has reported financial results in line with rivals, analysts have warned the bond trading scandal may become a distraction.

"Whilst small in a group context, it demonstrates the risk of disproportionate outcomes from improper conduct," Jefferies analyst Matthew Wilson said in a July note.

($1 = 1.4912 Australian dollars)

Comments
Welcome to financetom comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Related Articles >
PepsiCo forecasts annual profit below expectations
PepsiCo forecasts annual profit below expectations
Feb 4, 2025
Feb 4 (Reuters) - Pepsico ( PEP ) forecast annual profit below expectations and missed quarterly revenue estimates on Tuesday, as the Frito-Lay maker faces weakening demand for its sodas and snacks in the U.S., its largest market. Americans are still paring back spending on sodas and salty snacks to save their dollars for essentials, forcing PepsiCo ( PEP )...
Rheinmetall has cotton linters stocks for more than four years, says CEO
Rheinmetall has cotton linters stocks for more than four years, says CEO
Feb 4, 2025
BERLIN, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said on Tuesday his company had cotton linters in stock to sustain gunpowder production for more than four years. Speaking at a Handelsblatt conference in Berlin, he was responding to a question on the arms maker's dependency on China. ...
Trump tariff drama carries high stakes for US automakers, car buyers
Trump tariff drama carries high stakes for US automakers, car buyers
Feb 4, 2025
* Tariffs could cost automakers $110 million daily, $40 billion annually, analysts say * Suppliers adding 'tariff fee' to invoices, potentially affecting automakers and consumers * GM's production heavily reliant on Mexico, Canada; shifting entirely to US challenging By Kalea Hall, Nora Eckert and Victoria Waldersee Feb 4 (Reuters) - Donald Trump is keeping some of the world's biggest automakers...
Spotify forecasts profit above estimates on subscriber growth, price increases
Spotify forecasts profit above estimates on subscriber growth, price increases
Feb 4, 2025
Feb 4 (Reuters) - Spotify ( SPOT ) forecast first-quarter profit above market estimates on Tuesday as the Swedish audio-streaming giant benefits from steady user growth, price hikes and a cost-cutting drive. The company expects operating income of 548 million euros ($566.19 million) in the current quarter, above analysts' average estimate of 450.6 million euros, according to data compiled by...
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.financetom.com All Rights Reserved