Bank profits feel the heat of increased competition

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

CBA demands penalty interest

Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 8-Jul-15

The Federal Court is slated to rule on a proposed class action settlement concerning Willmott Forests and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) on 23 July 2015. Some 3,500 investors have participated in the four-year class action against the fail management investment scheme operator and CBA. However, CBA has been criticised by Australian Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson for requiring class action participants to pay penalty interest rates on their loans.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WILLMOTT FORESTS LIMITED, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, BENDIGO AND ADELAIDE BANK LIMITED – ASX BEN, GREAT SOUTHERN LIMITED