St George top-up leads mortgage escalation
July 4, 2008
ST GEORGE Bank yesterday added to the pressures on household budgets already strained by rising fuel prices and high home-loan costs with another "top-up" monthly mortgage repayment increase.
Westpac may have to boost $17.6 billion St George bid (Reuters)
Reuters - Westpac Banking Corp Ltd , which has bid $17.6 billion for St George Bank in the biggest banking takeover ever in Australia, is bracing for rival offers to emerge that could push the price tag even higher.
Westpac Banking Corporation and St George banks in merger talks
Westpac Banking Corporation, Australia's oldest company, is in talks with St George, a former building society, about merging to form a A$64 billion ($£31 billion) institution.
Westpac says Gail Kelly a 'great asset'
Westpac Banking Corp chairman Ted Evans says CEO Gail Kelly is a "great asset" as the company attempts to buy rival St George Bank.
Mega-bank in the making
Westpac enters merger talks with St George Bank to create Australia's largest home lending and wealth management provider.
Credit squeeze makes Dragon prey
The global credit squeeze and the higher cost of funding it has induced is the key that Westpac chairman Ted Evans hopes will unlock St George Bank.
Dragon head not swayed by theories on...
The chief executive of St George Bank has denied his group's supposed financial weaknesses has made its merger with Westpac inevitable and necessary.
St George has tough road ahead: JPMorgan
St George Bank has a far worse outlook than any of its peers, but is likely to talk up its prospects to attract a higher takeover bid, according to JPMorgan.
Gloomy forecast for St George
St George Bank has a far worse outlook than any of its peers, JPMorgan says.
St George reaffirms earnings forecast
St George Bank has reaffirmed its annual fiscal 2008 earnings guidance after posting a 12.5 per cent rise in cash profit for the first 10 months of the year.
Westpac and St George Bank mull £31bn merger
Westpac Banking Corporation, Australia’s oldest company, is in talks with a smaller rival to create a A$64 billion ($£31 billion) institution with a customer base equivalent to about half the size of the country’s population.
Westpac deal raises hopes of...
Reuters - The largest banking takeover in
Australia's corporate history has spurred investors to pile
into shares of smaller banks in the hope of a sector shake-out.
Westpac offer 'in the ball park'
Most analysts say Westpac's offer of $33.10 for each St George share is fair, but some are still hoping for more.
St George on track for earnings target
Takeover target St George Bank says it remains on track to meet its earnings growth target for fiscal 2008 and that its credit quality remains strong.
St George to recommend Westpac takeover
St George Bank's board will recommend to its shareholders Westpac Banking Corporation's $19b takeover after the two lenders signed an implementation agreement.
Westpac, St George talk merger
Westpac enters merger talks with St George Bank to create Australia's largest home lending and wealth management provider.
Policy makes St George bid 'more likely'
The renewed commitment to a policy that prevents Australia's top four banks from merging makes a counterbid for St George Bank more likely, an analyst said.
Creating nation's biggest bank will cost $700m
THE $700 million price tag attached to the merger of Westpac and St George banks is expected to be met by stripping as much as a quarter of St George's cost base from the combined entity.
Stalking the dragon
The story of the acquisition of St George begins on a fateful day last August when some startling news sparked the global credit crisis, writes Danny John.
Westpac sticks with bid
Westpac will go ahead with its bid for St George Bank after completing due diligence.
St George in Wonderland
We are invited to believe that the credit crisis is pure chimera and St George is racking up earnings growth of 25% in the second half.
Westpac, St George agree merger terms
Westpac and St George Bank have agreed the terms of a merger between the two which will result in a new bank with a capitalisation of $66 billion.
NAB still mulling St George bid
National Australia Bank chief executive John Stewart say his bank is looking over St George Bank before deciding whether to make a bid for it.
Issues over St G-Westpac merger: ACCC
The ACCC says competition issues have emerged from its initial inquiries into the proposed $16 billion takeover of St George Bank by Westpac Corp.
Australian banks agree mega merger ...
AFP - Two major Australian banks agreed Tuesday to a proposed merger which would create the nation's biggest financial services group worth around 66 billion dollars (62 billion...