ASIA-PACIFIC

摘要

Richard Branson-backed airline virgin australia holdincs said it had tapped its top shareholders for a loan of A$425m (US$320m) in a move expected to help cut its reliance on the bond market for funds. The loan goes some way to addressing investor concerns that the company's cash reserves have declined sharply in the wake of a five-year revamp to broaden its services beyond the discount-carrier market. The US bond market, which Virgin Australia has previously tapped, has also become more expensive because of the sharp weakening of the Australian dollar over the past three years.