DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Japan's yen takes the spotlight in central bank week
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Vidya Ranganathan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Bank of Japan's policy meeting on Friday is the highlight of the week in Asia, after Governor Kazuo Ueda stoked speculation of an imminent move away from ultra-loose policy. The yen was flat versus the greenback between 147.63 and 147.88 per dollar, with markets in Japan closed for a national holiday. "Anticipation of new BOJ rate guidance could support the yen into the meeting date, with the FOMC meeting also contributing to volatility this week," Chang said. The European Central Bank raised interest rates to 4% last week but said this hike could be its last. Futures are pricing in almost no chance that the Fed raises interest rates at the end of its two-day meeting next Wednesday.

Persons: Yen, Dado Ruvic, Kazuo Ueda, That's, Carol Kong, Kong, Ueda, Wei, Liang Chang, Chang, Sterling, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, The, of, U.S . Federal, Bank of, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, DBS Bank, European Central Bank, Japan, . U.S, Treasury, The Bank of England, Brent, Saudi, Global, Thomson Locations: Rights SINGAPORE, Asia, Bank of England, Japan, ., U.S, Ukraine

☆ Japan's yen in spotlight ahead of 'live' BOJ meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In a week packed with central bank meetings, decisions are also due from the U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday and Bank of England on Thursday. The yen was flat versus the greenback at 147.82 per dollar with markets in Japan closed for a national holiday. Carol Kong, economist and currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, said she expects the yen to be volatile leading up to the policy meeting. "So that means dollar yen can track higher, particularly if Governor Ueda sounds dovish and dashes hopes of policy tightening at the upcoming meeting," she said. The European Central Bank raised interest rates to 4% last week but said this hike could be its last.

Persons: Kazuo Ueda, Carol Kong, Kong, Ueda, Sterling Organizations: U.S ., The, of, U.S . Federal Reserve, Bank of England, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, European Central Bank, Japan, . U.S, Treasury, Deutsche Bank Research, Brent, Saudi Locations: Asia, Japan, ., U.S, Ukraine

☆ Bullock takes over at Australia central bank with soft landing in sight
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Incoming RBA Governor Michele Bullock delivers the Sir Leslie Melville Public Lecture at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia, August 29, 2023 in this handout image. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has been on hold for three months after raising interest rates aggressively for more than a year. The tightening has slowed Australia's growth, but analysts think the economy could still achieve a soft landing. If Australia avoids recession and delivers a soft landing, history may judge outgoing Governor Philip Lowe more kindly. In the search to replace Bullock as deputy, Chalmers has indicated the government is looking at candidates inside and outside the central bank.

Persons: Michele Bullock, Leslie Melville, Tracey Nearmy, Bullock, it's, Cherelle Murphy, Philip Lowe, Lowe, Jim Chalmers, Chalmers, Stephen Halmarick, Stella Qiu, William Mallard Organizations: Australian National University, ANU, REUTERS, Rights, Reserve Bank of Australia, EY Oceania, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Thomson Locations: Canberra, Australia, Handout, New Zealand, Germany, Europe's, COVID

☆ Dollar rises on robust U.S. economy, yuan sinks to 16-year low
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Joice Alves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Japanese yen and U.S. dollar banknotes are seen with a currency exchange rate graph in this illustration picture taken June 16, 2022. China's onshore yuan slid to a 16-year low, under pressure from a property slump, weak consumer spending and shrinking credit growth in the world's second-largest economy. ONSHORE YUAN HIT 2007 LEVELSThe onshore yuan sank to 7.3296 per dollar, its weakest since December 2007. The Australian dollar was about flat at $0.6384, while the New Zealand dollar rose 0.3% at $0.5885, with both languishing near their recent 10-month lows. “We see yuan staying under pressure (against the dollar) in the near term," said Becky Liu, head of China macro strategy at Standard Chartered Bank.

Persons: Florence Lo, Kirstine Kundby, Joseph Capurso, Becky Liu, BoE, Andrew Bailey, Joice Alves, Rae Wee, Zhou, Sharon Singleton, Chizu Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, U.S ., Nielsen, Danske Bank, Federal Reserve, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, New Zealand, Standard Chartered Bank, People's Bank of China, European Central Bank, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: U.S, China, Beijing, China's, Japan, Asia, Bank

Japanese yen and U.S. dollar banknotes are seen with a currency exchange rate graph in this illustration picture taken June 16, 2022. The greenback scaled a fresh top of 147.875 yen in early Asia trade, its highest since last November. "Stronger-than-expected ISM services reaffirmed the U.S. outperformance narrative, adding broad support to the U.S. dollar," said Kirstine Kundby-Nielsen, analyst at Danske Bank. The onshore yuan slid to a fresh 10-month low of 7.3270 per dollar, not far from hitting a 16-year low. The Australian dollar was about flat at $0.6386, while the New Zealand dollar was up 0.2% at $0.5881, with both languishing near their recent 10-month lows.

Persons: Florence Lo, Kirstine Kundby, Joseph Capurso, Matt Simpson, Sterling, BoE, Andrew Bailey, Joice Alves, Rae Wee, Sharon Singleton Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, U.S ., Nielsen, Danske Bank, Federal Reserve, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, New Zealand, Index, Bank of England, European Central Bank, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, U.S, Asia, China's, Beijing, China, Bank, Japan, London, Singapore

☆ Dollar shines as US economy outperforms, yen at 10-month low
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Japanese yen and U.S. dollar banknotes are seen with a currency exchange rate graph in this illustration picture taken June 16, 2022. The greenback scaled a fresh top of 147.875 yen in early Asia trade, its highest since last November. That did little to help the Australian dollar , which was still down 0.15% at $0.6373, while the New Zealand dollar last bought $0.58735, with both languishing near their recent 10-month lows. The offshore yuan fell marginally to 7.3255 per dollar, while its onshore counterpart was pinned near the previous session's 10-month low. "As we have seen in the past, real intervention barely reverses the course of the yen sustainably."

Persons: Florence Lo, Sterling, Joseph Capurso, BoE, Andrew Bailey, Governor Bailey, Capurso, Saxo, Charu Chanana, Rae Wee, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Rights, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Federal Reserve, Bank of England, European Central Bank, ECB, New Zealand, Thomson Locations: Rights SINGAPORE, China's, Beijing, Asia, U.S, ASIA, Japan

☆ Aussie lender NAB to cut 222 back-office jobs, says trade union
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Poonam Behura | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The National Australia Bank Logo is seen on a branch in central Sydney, Australia, February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz Acquire Licensing RightsSept 6 (Reuters) - National Australia Bank (NAB.AX) is planning to cut 222 back-office jobs, the Finance Sector Union (FSU) said in an emailed response to Reuters. FSU, a white-collar trade union, said NAB’s restructuring will impact its departments such as Personal Direct Lending, Technology and Operations, Corporate Finance and Client Coverage. "This means certain roles may no longer be required or need to be moved to support other teams." NAB reported a 5% jump in third-quarter cash earnings in August, including a decline in its margins due to higher home lending competition and deposit costs.

Persons: Daniel Munoz, Julia Angrisano, Poonam, Shilpi Majumdar, Devika Organizations: National, REUTERS, National Australia Bank, Finance Sector Union, FSU, Reuters, Technology, Corporate Finance, NAB, Australian, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac Banking Corp, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Bengaluru

☆ Dollar shines as US economy outperforms, yen plumbs 10-month low
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Japanese yen and U.S. dollar banknotes are seen with a currency exchange rate graph in this illustration picture taken June 16, 2022. The Japanese currency last bought 147.76 per dollar, having weakened past the closely-watched 145 threshold for nearly a month now. "Yen's verbal intervention begs the question whether a real intervention is likely," said Saxo market strategist Charu Chanana. "As we have seen in the past, real intervention barely reverses the course of the yen sustainably." The Australian dollar slid 0.05% to $0.63795, while the New Zealand dollar fell 0.01% to $0.5869, with both languishing near their recent 10-month lows.

Persons: Florence Lo, Sterling, Joseph Capurso, BoE, Andrew Bailey, Governor Bailey, Capurso, Saxo, Charu Chanana, Rae Wee, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Rights, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Federal Reserve, Bank of England, European Central Bank, ECB, Australian, New Zealand, Thomson Locations: Rights SINGAPORE, Asia, U.S, ASIA, Japan

☆ Dollar shines as U.S. economy outperforms, yen plumbs 10-month low
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The greenback scaled a fresh top of 147.865 yen in early Asia trade, its highest since last November. The Japanese currency last bought 147.76 per dollar, having weakened past the closely-watched 145 threshold for nearly a month now. "Yen's verbal intervention begs the question whether a real intervention is likely," said Saxo market strategist Charu Chanana. "As we have seen in the past, real intervention barely reverses the course of the yen sustainably." The Australian dollar slid 0.05% to $0.63795, while the New Zealand dollar fell 0.01% to $0.5869, with both languishing near their recent 10-month lows.

Persons: Sterling, Joseph Capurso, BoE, Andrew Bailey, Governor Bailey, Capurso, Saxo, Charu Chanana Organizations: greenback, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Federal Reserve, Bank of England, European Central Bank, ECB, Australian, New Zealand Locations: Asia, U.S, Japan

☆ Australia gas strike threat: What happens has 'massive ramifications' for Europe, says economist
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailAustralia gas strike threat: What happens has 'massive ramifications' for Europe, says economistVivek Dhar, director of mining and energy economist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, says the "whipsawing effect" in markets will exist "until we see some deal or some closure."

Persons: Vivek Dhar Organizations: Australia, Commonwealth Bank of Australia Locations: Europe

☆ Bonds rally, stocks drift as China boost fades
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The yen remained an outlier and within a whisker of Monday's 10-month low, which has traders on edge about the risk of intervention. Over the weekend, China announced a halving in stock-trading stamp duties and had on Friday approved some guidelines for affordable housing. Hong Kong's Hang Seng (.HSI) closed less than 1% higher on Monday and was 1% firmer in early trade on Tuesday. On Tuesday in New Zealand shares in Tourism Holdings (THL.NZ), the world's largest campervan rental company, surged 13% after the company reported a record underlying profit. On Tuesday, U.S. job openings figures are due, ahead of Friday's broader labour market data and the ISM manufacturing survey.

Persons: Damian Rooney, Kazuo Ueda, Goldman Sachs, Ryan Felsman, Jason Xue, Sam Holmes Organizations: Nikkei, Argonaut Securities, HK, Bank of Japan, Tourism Holdings, New, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, U.S, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Perth, New Zealand, Sydney, Shanghai

☆ Dollar soft as markets brace for data fest; yen under pressure
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The dollar index , which measures U.S. currency against six key rivals, eased 0.077% at 103.85, after slipping 0.2% on Monday. The index is up 2% this month as resilient economic data bolstered expectations that interest rates may stay higher for longer. The yen inched up 0.12% to 146.36 per dollar in Asian hours but remained close 146.75, its lowest level since Nov.9. Japan intervened in currency markets last September when the dollar rose past 145 yen, prompting the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to buy the yen and push the pair back to around 140 yen. The Australian dollar added 0.03% to $0.643, while the New Zealand dollar eased 0.02% to $0.591.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jerome Powell, Carol Kong, CBA's Kong, Jackson, Chanana, Ueda, Sterling, Ankur Banerjee, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Reuters, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Ministry of Finance, United, Saxo, Jackson, New Zealand, Thomson Locations: Japan, United States, Tokyo, Singapore

☆ Dollar soft as markets brace for data fest, yen under pressure
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The dollar index , which measures U.S. currency against six key rivals, eased 0.077% at 103.85, after slipping 0.2% on Monday. The index is up 2% this month as resilient economic data bolstered expectations that interest rates may stay higher for longer. The yen inched up 0.12% to 146.36 per dollar in Asian hours but remained close 146.75, its lowest level since Nov. 9. Japan intervened in currency markets last September when the dollar rose past 145 yen, prompting the Ministry of Finance to buy the yen and push the pair back to around 140 yen. The Australian dollar added 0.03% to $0.643, while the New Zealand dollar eased 0.02% to $0.591.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Carol Kong, CBA's Kong, Jackson, Chanana, Ueda, Sterling Organizations: U.S, Reuters, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Ministry of Finance, United, Saxo, Jackson, New Zealand Locations: Nantong, China's, Jiangsu, Japan, United States

☆ Aussie lender NAB to cut 10% jobs in markets division, Australian Financial Review reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The National Australia Bank Logo is seen on a branch in central Sydney, Australia, February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 28 (Reuters) - National Australia Bank (NAB.AX) is preparing to cut around 60 jobs of the 600-staff at its markets division and undertake a broad restructuring exercise across its seven business, the Australian Financial Review said on early on Monday citing sources. The country's second-biggest bank would begin the layoffs as early as this week but is yet to announce the changes internally, AFR said. Layoffs at NAB would include capital markets types working within its corporate and institutional banking unit, where its markets business sits with a team of about 600. Reporting by Poonam Behura in Bengaluru; Editing by Alison WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Daniel Munoz, AFR, Poonam, Alison Williams Organizations: National, REUTERS, National Australia Bank, Australian Financial, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac Banking Corp, NAB, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Bengaluru

☆ Soft data drags back dollar ahead of Jackson Hole
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The dollar nursed a sharp pullback against Asian currencies on Thursday, after softer-than-expected global economic data muddied the interest rate outlook and pushed down U.S. yields ahead of the Federal Reserve's Jackson Hole symposium. The New Zealand dollar also leapt overnight, as did the yen , which crossed below 145 to the dollar for the first time in more than a week tracking a sharp move lower in U.S. Treasury yields. The dollar index , which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies remains higher for the month, but dipped about 0.2% overnight. PMI data was soft globally, which tempered gains for the euro and sent sterling on a wide-ranging round trip before it steadied around $1.2717. China's yuan, which has been supported by state-bank buying in recent sessions, was steady at 7.2864 in thin offshore trade.

Persons: Jackson, PMIs, Carol Kong, Jerome Powell's, Steve Englander Organizations: Federal, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, New Zealand, Treasury, PMI Locations: U.S, Asia, China

☆ Dollar eases before Jackson Hole, yen rises amid intervention jitters
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Kevin Buckland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. Dollar and Chinese Yuan banknotes are seen in this illustration taken January 30, 2023. China's yuan briefly popped to a one-week high as the central bank again tried to bolster the currency by setting a much stronger-than-anticipated daily mid-point, but those gains fizzled out quickly. Money markets currently lay a bit less than 50/50 odds for another 25 basis point Fed hike by November, before the central bank shifts to rate cuts next year. Traders are wary of intervention after levels around 146 spurred the first yen buying by Japanese officials in a generation last September. On Thursday, the dollar reached 146.565 yen for the first time since Nov. 10.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jerome Powell, Kazuo Ueda, Richard Franulovich, Powell, Kristina Clifton, Kevin Buckland, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Federal, Bank of Japan, U.S ., Westpac, Treasury, Traders, Sterling, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Thomson Locations: Bank, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, China's, Beijing, China

☆ Dollar hovers near highs as U.S. yields surge; PBOC bolsters yuan
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In this photo illustration, 100 U.S. dollar notes and 100 yuan notes are displayed. Money markets currently lay a bit less than 50/50 odds for another 25 basis point Fed hike by November, before the central bank shifts to rate cuts next year. The offshore yuan was little changed at 7.2872, after firming about 0.1% after the fixing. The Australian dollar , which often trades as a proxy to China, was also little changed at $0.6413 after initially strengthening slightly following the fixing. The Aussie has grinded higher in recent sessions after dropping to a 9 1/2-month low of $0.6365 on Thursday.

Persons: Richard Franulovich, Jerome Powell's, Franulovich, Powell, Kristina Clifton Organizations: U.S, U.S ., Westpac, Treasury, Commonwealth Bank of Australia Locations: Jackson Hole , Wyoming, China's, Beijing, China

☆ Westpac flags higher expenses in quarterly update; shares drop
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Archishma Iyer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of Sydney-based Westpac fell about 2.1% to trade at A$20.82 at 0040 GMT, hitting their lowest since July 12. Broadly, Australia's major banks have all flagged stiff competition in the mortgage space, along with higher expenses as inflationary pressures weigh. The higher interest rates have also contributed to increased living costs, which are pushing up debt arrears. Westpac did not publish a comparable quarterly net profit figure for the same period a year earlier. The figure reported on Monday was below the A$2 billion average profit for the first two quarters of fiscal 2023.

Persons: David Gray, Riya Sharma, Archishma Iyer, Sam Holmes, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Australia's Westpac Banking Corp, REUTERS, Westpac Banking Corp, Sydney, Westpac, Citi, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Australia Bank, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia

☆ Dollar gains intact as China disappoints, traders eye Jackson Hole
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The yuan slid to the weak side of 7.3 per dollar despite a firm fixing of its trading range by the central bank. The Antipodean currencies often function as a liquid proxy for the yuan owing to the region's exports to China. Like the yuan, the yen is also on intervention-watch, having fallen to levels around which authorities stepped in last year. The Swiss franc was just above a six-week low made last week at 0.8817 per dollar. "Two things that may come across are: decades of ultra-low rates backed by ultra-low inflation may be over," said Vishnu Varathan, head of economics and strategy at Mizuho Bank in Singapore.

Persons: Jackson, Sterling, Jerome Powell, Vishnu Varathan Organizations: Federal, Treasury, New Zealand, Australian, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Swiss, Mizuho Bank Locations: China, London, New York, Wyoming, Singapore

☆ Westpac flags margin squeeze from rising home loan competition
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/David Gray Acquire Licensing RightsSummaryCompanies Reports quarterly cash profit A$1.8 billionLate loan repayments rises to 0.8% in AustraliaCET1 Ratio of 11.9%Aug 21 (Reuters) - Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AX), Australia's third-largest lender, on Monday posted a quarterly cash profit of A$1.8 billion ($1.15 billion), as increased competition for home lending squeezed margins. Australia's major banks have all flagged stiff competition in the mortgage space, along with higher expenses as inflationary pressures weigh. Sydney-based Westpac said expenses for the second half to date were up 5% from the first half, fuelled by higher supplier costs and staff wages. In Australia, loan repayments past 90 days late rose to 0.80% in the three-months ended June, up 7 basis points from 0.73% in March, Westpac said. The lender reported a core net interest margin of 1.86% for the quarter, down 4 basis points from the first half of fiscal 2023.

Persons: David Gray, Riya Sharma, Archishma Iyer, Lisa Shumaker, Sam Holmes Organizations: Australia's Westpac Banking Corp, REUTERS, Westpac Banking Corp, Westpac, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Australia Bank, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia

☆ Dollar shines on US economic resilience; Aussie tumbles after employment data
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Australian dollar tumbled after the country's July employment unexpectedly fell while its jobless rate ticked up more than expected. The Aussie sank nearly 1% after the release of the figures, dragging the New Zealand dollar alongside it. The yen bottomed out at 146.565 per dollar in early Asia trade, its lowest level since November, having come under renewed pressure as a result of interest rate differentials between the U.S. and Japan. "We've got the U.S. staying really resilient still, under the weight of high interest rates," said Carol Kong, a currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA). "We expect 25-basis-point rate hikes in both September and November, for a peak policy rate of 5.75%," said Wells Fargo economist Nick Bennenbroek of the Bank of England's monetary policy outlook.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, homebuilding, We've, Carol Kong, Kong, Wells, Nick Bennenbroek, Matt Simpson, there's, CBA's, Rae Wee, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, dovish Bank of Japan, Aussie, New Zealand, U.S, Federal Reserve, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Fed, FX, Bank of England, Bank, Zealand, Reserve Bank of Australia, People's Bank of China, The U.S, Thomson Locations: Asia, Japan, China, CBA's Kong, The

☆ Dollar shines on U.S. economic resilience, Aussie tumbles after employment data
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Hundred dollar bills are seen in this photo illustraiton in Warsaw, Poland on Sept. 21, 2022. The Australian dollar tumbled after the country's July employment unexpectedly fell while its jobless rate ticked up more than expected. The Aussie sank nearly 1% after the release of the figures, dragging the New Zealand dollar alongside it. "We've got the U.S. staying really resilient still, under the weight of high interest rates," said Carol Kong, a currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, or CBA. "We expect 25-basis-point rate hikes in both September and November, for a peak policy rate of 5.75%," said Wells Fargo economist Nick Bennenbroek of the Bank of England's monetary policy outlook.

Persons: homebuilding, We've, Carol Kong, Kong, Wells, Nick Bennenbroek, Matt Simpson, there's, CBA's Organizations: dovish Bank of Japan, Aussie, New Zealand, U.S, Federal Reserve, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Fed, FX, Bank of England, Bank, Australian, Zealand, Reserve Bank of Australia, People's Bank of China, The U.S Locations: Warsaw, Poland, Asia, Japan, China, CBA's Kong, The

☆ Aussie lender NAB's quarterly margins decline on stiff competition
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The National Australia Bank Logo is seen on a branch in central Sydney, Australia, February 8, 2018. A high interest rate environment has benefited Australian banks, but they now face headwinds from rising bad debt and increasing competition for mortgages. Last week, the country's biggest lender Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA.AX) posted record annual profit on the back of rising interest rates, but warned higher living costs were pushing up debt arrears and competition was squeezing margins. NAB's net interest margin - a key measure of profitability - slipped to 1.72% in the April-June quarter from 1.77% as at March 31. The country's second-biggest lender, however, reported a 5% increase in cash earnings from higher interest rates.

Persons: Daniel Munoz, NIM, Ross McEwan, Upasana Singh, Archishma Iyer, Shilpi Majumdar, Shinjini Organizations: National, REUTERS, National Australia Bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, NAB, CBA, Analysts, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, 3Q23, Bengaluru

☆ Aussie lender NAB's Q3 margins decline; shares up on cash earnings beat
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Archishma Iyer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The National Australia Bank Logo is seen on a branch in central Sydney, Australia, February 8, 2018. Shares of the country's second-biggest bank rose 1.3% to trade at A$28.70 at 0115 GMT. Last week, the country's biggest lender Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA.AX) posted record annual profit but warned higher living costs were pushing up debt arrears and competition was squeezing margins. "Consensus NIM expectations might need to moderate down, but the current run rate in earnings would suggest NAB is on track to deliver on fourth quarter FY23 cash earnings expectations," analysts from UBS wrote. It posted cash earnings of A$1.90 billion, compared with A$1.80 billion a year earlier and beating a Visible Alpha consensus of A$1.83 billion.

Persons: Daniel Munoz, NIM, Ross McEwan, Upasana Singh, Archishma Iyer, Shilpi Majumdar, Shinjini, Sohini Organizations: National, REUTERS, National Australia Bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, NAB, UBS, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, 3Q23, Bengaluru

☆ Dollar in holding pattern as US inflation test looms; PBOC supports yuan
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Kevin Buckland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Banknotes of Chinese yuan and U.S. dollar are seen in this illustration picture taken September 29, 2022. The Australian and New Zealand dollars hovered close to two-month lows amid a worsening economic outlook for key trade partner China. The dollar was little changed at 143.79 yen , after earlier drifting to the highest since July 7 at 143.90. Elsewhere, the Chinese yuan tacked on about 0.1% to 7.2235 per dollar in offshore trading after the PBOC set a stronger official mid-point than the market consensus for a second day. New Zealand's kiwi was flat at $0.6053, just above Tuesday's low of $0.6035, which was the weakest since June 8.

Persons: Florence Lo, Tony Sycamore, Sycamore, Kristina Clifton, Joe Biden, Kevin Buckland, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS, Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, New, People's Bank of China, Street, Fed, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, U.S, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, China, U.S, Japan

Search resuls for: "Commonwealth Bank of Australia"

25 mentions found