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SYDNEY, March 31 (Reuters) - Australia's banking watchdog on Friday launched a new round of restrictions on home lending with a particular focus on interest-only loans, steps aimed at curbing speculative borrowing in a red-hot housing market.
New interest-only lending will be limited to 30 percent of total new residential mortgage lending, whereas it stands at around 40 percent at present, the Australian Prudential (LON:PRU) Regulatory Authority (APRA) said.
"Our objective with these new measures is to ensure lenders are recognising the heightened risk in the lending environment, and that their lending standards and practices appropriately respond to these conditions," said APRA Chairman Wayne Byres.
Banks would have to limit lending to investors so as to "comfortably remain below" a previously set limit of 10 percent growth per year.
That limit was set back in 2015 when speculative demand in the property market was sending home prices surging. The speed limit worked for a while, but in recent months investor lending has taken off again and home prices with it.
Prices in Sydney likely rose at an annual pace of nearly 20 percent in March, according to figures from property consultant Core Logic.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has become increasingly concerned that the run up in borrowing at a time when household debt was already at record highs could weigh on consumer spending power and risk a damaging pullback in prices.
Interest-only loans were singled out for special attention.
"APRA views a higher proportion of interest-only lending in the current environment to be indicative of a higher risk profile," said Byres.
The watchdog said it might impose added restrictions on banks should the proportion of new lending on interest-only terms exceed 30 percent of total new mortgage lending.
Fitch ratings said on Wednesday that the country's banks faced risks from high household debt and an overheated property sector.