Business & Finance

Commonwealth Bank says won't need to raise wholesale debt this year

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The bank had also seen a fall in arrears since June, Chief Executive Ralph Norris told a media conference.

Asked about the need for wholesale funding, he said there was no urgency to raise debt.

"We can last several months. We would not need funding for the rest of the year," Norris said.

The recent global market volatility has sparked concerns over a renewed freezing up of credit markets that could make it more difficult for banks to raise funds.

The big four Australian banks -- Commonwealth Bank, Westpac , Australia New Zealand Banking Corp and National Australia Bank -- together need about $100 billion annually to bridge the gap between loans and deposits, though they have said they would not need to raise funds for the next months.

Copyright Reuters, 2011