Bulletin – September 2010 Ownership of Australian Equities and Corporate Bonds Abstract
Australian financial and non-financial companies tap capital markets – particularly equity and bond markets – to source funds from households, foreign investors and domestic institutional investors. Foreign investors supply around half of these funds, with institutional investors providing most of the remainder; households' direct holdings are comparatively modest. During the financial crisis, foreign investors' appetite for Australian assets remained strong, underpinned by the strength of the Australian financial system and economy.