Bloomberg Australia will make it easier for banks to approve mortgages and small-business loans to help the economy recover from its first recession in almost 30 years. Shares of the nation’s biggest lenders surged. As part of a sweeping overhaul of so-called responsible lending obligations, the government will allow banks to rely on income and spending information provided by borrowers …

Bloomberg Commerzbank passed over internal front-runners in favour of an executive with a reputation for tough cuts at its biggest rival to push through one of the largest restructuring programs in its history. Manfred Knof, 55, head of German retail banking at Deutsche Bank AG, takes over from Martin Zielke as Commerzbank chief executive officer on January 1, according to …

Bloomberg Singapore’s central bank is in talks with lenders about extending the nation’s debt moratorium programme beyond December 31 to provide extra relief for borrowers hit by the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. One of the key measures being discussed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and local banks is the possibility of lengthening the debt relief program, with …

Bloomberg The Federal Reserve is about to decide whether to extend a ban on banks buying back their own stock. It may shape up to be pivotal for year-end funding risks. If the Fed keeps its ban on buybacks in the decision due by end of September, banks will be stuck holding capital until next year and will “flood” the …

Bloomberg Indian bond traders’ worst fears may be realised this week if Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government announces a further increase to its mammoth borrowing plan. Traders expect the government to lift its borrowing estimate for the October-March period to six trillion rupees ($81.5 billion) from the existing 5 trillion rupees, according to 10 out of 16 traders in a …

Bloomberg European stocks rallied the most in two weeks, led by bank shares, on optimism that the recent selloff is overdone. The pound strengthened on hopes that UK and European Union officials will be able to make progress as a key week of Brexit talks begins. Asian equities and US futures gained, while oil dropped below $40 a barrel in …

Bloomberg Saudi Arabia is preparing for a quick rebound in tourism and hasn’t revised its visitor targets for 2021 despite the coronavirus pandemic, Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb said. “If countries today open their borders, we will be fit to run fast, and this is the plan,” said Al-Khateeb, a key adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. “We believe people …

Bloomberg Bank of America Corp. (BofA) issued a $2 billion bond that aims to advance racial equality. The initiative, backed by Vice Chairman Anne Finucane and Chief Operating Officer Tom Montag, is the company’s eighth environmental, social and governance-themed bond, bringing its total issuance in the category to almost $10 billion, the bank said in a statement. The offering, which …

Bloomberg Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is asking just over 100 staff to move from London to other European cities in preparation for Brexit. Goldman Sachs employees who work in areas including sales and trading, deal-making and private wealth management are being asked to sign new contracts and to prepare to relocate in time for January 1, according to a person …

Bloomberg Australia’s bonds and stocks rallied after influential economist Bill Evans threw his weight behind calls that the central bank will cut interest rates next month when the government unveils its budget plans. The currency tumbled. Yields on the three-year bond drop as much as seven basis points to a record low of 0.14%, while the benchmark stock index gained …