'Bubbly' Australia housing market may lead to more lending curbs

Sydney

AUSTRALIA is facing a period of "heightened risk" in the housing market, the country's top banking regulator said, amid rising speculation further lending curbs may be imposed to cool runaway home prices.

Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (Apra) chairman Wayne Byres said that while he refused to ever use the "B-word" - referring to a bubble - "if everyone isn't careful, the risk in the system is going to rise".