Original article by Clancy Yeates
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 2-Nov-15

Factors such as low interest rates and growing competition are putting downward pressure on the lending margins of Australia’s major banks. Westpac has reported flat net interest margins for fiscal 2015, while the rival "big four" banks reported lower margins. Julie Coates of PricewaterhouseCoopers forecasts that the banks’ margins will fall below the record low of 2.05 per cent recorded in 2008.

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AUSTRALIA (INTERNATIONAL) PTY LTD, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, WATERMARK FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, BELL POTTER SECURITIES LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA