Australia's APPF tests market for A$ bond -sources
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SYDNEY, July 14 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Property Fund (APPF), managed by builder Lend Lease Corp LLC.AX, is gauging investor appetite for a bond issue to refinance debt, said three investors who had been approached by banks about the matter.
They declined to be named because they were not allowed to speak to the press. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA.AX) and Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AX) were the banks gauging interest, the sources said.
The unlisted fund told investors during a non-deal roadshow in June that it was reviewing its options to refinance A$150 million ($118 million) of bonds maturing in September.
One of the fund managers who met with APPF said the fund was well run with high-quality assets and a low gearing of 10 percent.
APPF, which is rated A by S&P, declined to comment. The fund has combined assets of A$5 billion, according to its Web site.
CBA and Westpac did not return phone calls. ($1=1.274 Australian Dollar) (Reporting by Cecile Lefort; Editing by Mark Bendeich)
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