RBNZ sets local covered bond issuance limit at 10 per cent of total assets

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) announced the regulatory limit for covered bond issuance by local banks on January 21, with the cap – of 10 per cent of a bank's total assets – matching the hopes of domestic borrowers. The level is higher than the equivalent cap in other jurisdictions, and the limit – of 5 per cent – hinted at by the Australian federal treasurer, Wayne Swan, when he last year proposed the adoption of the asset class in Australia.