CBA said cash profit was A$2.5 billion ($1.6 billion) for the quarter, which was 3% better than a consensus estimate for the period, according to data aggregator Visible Alpha. "Home lending margins stabilised in the quarter," it added, without giving figures. Shares of CBA rose as much as 1% in morning trading, in line with the broader market (.AXJO) as analysts welcomed the better-than-expected margin outcome and a smaller-than-expected provision for potential loan impairments. Commenting on the bank's stabilising home loan margins, E&P Financial analyst Azib Khan said that "it would be helping on this front that CBA has been willing to forgo market share". For the year to September, CBA said it grew its mortgage book at 0.7 times the rate of the overall mortgage industry.

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Persons: Brendan Sproules, Azib Khan, Himanshi, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: Commonwealth Bank of, ANZ, Westpac, National Australia Bank, CBA, Citi, P, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru