BANKS AND BANKING – AUSTRALIA

Satisfaction with banks up again in January

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Feb-18

New research from Roy Morgan shows that customer satisfaction with Australia’s banks in the six months to January 2018 was 81.2%, up from 80.8% in December. This is the best figure seen since June 2017, and it is now well above the long-term average of 73.8% calculated since 2001. The Commonwealth Bank again had the highest customer satisfaction rating of the big four in December (up 0.5 % at 80.1%), followed by NAB (up 0.5% to 79.1%). However, Bendigo Bank (88.4%) had the highest customer satisfaction rating among the 10 largest consumer banks, followed by Bank of Queensland (85.8%). Meanwhile, the mortgage customers of the smaller banks continue to have higher satisfaction ratings than the big four.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, BENDIGO BANK, BANK OF QUEENSLAND LIMITED – ASX BOQ, ING BANK (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, BANK OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, ST GEORGE BANK LIMITED, SUNCORP BANK

ANZ ramps up home loan growth in mortgage race

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Original article by James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 21-Feb-18

The ANZ Bank has advised that its mortgage lending grew at a faster than the broader sector in the December 2017 quarter. However, the number of residential home loans that are in arrears increased from 0.59 per cent to 0.60 per cent quarter-on-quarter. ANZ’s quarterly statement on bank capital also shows that its customers continued to switch from interest-only loans principal-and-interest loans during the quarter, while its common equity tier one capital ratio rose from 10.57 per cent to 10.82 per cent.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

NAB posts $1.65b in Q1 cash profit

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Original article by James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 9-Feb-18

Shares in National Australia Bank closed 2.3 per cent higher at $A28.90 on 8 February, after the major bank reported a cash profit of $A1.65bn for the first quarter of 2017-18. The result was three per cent higher than previously, while there was a 2.4 per decline in bad and doubtful debts. However, NAB’s expenses increased by four per cent during the quarter, and the bank expects expenses to rise by another 5-8 per cent during the remainder of the financial year. Citigroup has upgraded its recommendation on NAB’s shares to "buy".

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, INVESTORS MUTUAL LIMITED, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA

CBA’s half-year profit misses expectations

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Original article by James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 16 : 8-Feb-18

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has posted a 2017-18 interim cash profit of $A4.73bn, which is 1.9 per cent lower than previously. The result was marred by $A575m worth of provisions, including some $A375m associated with Austrac’s investigation into money-laundering allegations. CBA’s cash profit rose 5.8 per cent to $A5.11 billion if the provisions are excluded. Meanwhile, CBA’s retail banking division has reported a cash profit of $A2.653bn, an increase of eight per cent, while its business and private banking division’s cash profit rose by nine per cent to $A960m.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, ARGO INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX ARG, PERENNIAL INVESTMENT PARTNERS LIMITED

Choice urges Hayne focus on unfair fees

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Original article by Jonathan Shapiro
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 8-Feb-18

Consumer group Choice has used its submission to the banking royal commission to urge the inquiry to examine issues such as the use of trailing commissions in the financial services sector and the methods used to calculate fees and charges. Choice has argued that unfair fees is a key issue that the general public would like the royal commission to address. Choice has also criticised the financial services industry’s self-regulation regime, noting the shortcomings of self-regulation for insurers in particular.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CONSUMERS’ ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY

Banks watch as capital city unit crisis unfolds

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Original article by Robert Gottliebsen
The Australian – Page: 21 : 31-Jan-18

The yield on US 10-year government bonds peaked at 2.73 per cent in late January, and the policies of President Donald Trump could see yields rise further. This would have major implications for Australia’s banks, which source 30-40 per cent of their funding from offshore. Australian banks are in turn heavily exposed to the residential and retail property markets, and a sharp rise in global interest rates would put downward pressure on asset values in these sectors. This would be of particular concern for the inner city apartment markets in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, where there are already fears of an oversupply.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA

Satisfaction with banks up in December

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 31-Jan-18

New research from Roy Morgan shows that customer satisfaction with banks in the six months to December 2017 was 80.8%, up from 80.6% in November. Despite many fluctuations in satisfaction over the last two decades, the current result represents a continuation of the generally positive trend that we have seen since 2001, when satisfaction with banks was only 58.5%. The Commonwealth Bank had the highest customer satisfaction rating of the big four in December (unchanged at 79.6%), followed by NAB (up 0.3% to 78.6%). However, Bendigo Bank (up 0.7% to 88.8%) had the highest customer satisfaction rating among the 10 largest consumer banks.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, BENDIGO BANK, BANK OF QUEENSLAND LIMITED – ASX BOQ, ING BANK (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, BANK OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, ST GEORGE BANK LIMITED, SUNCORP BANK

Minefield for new CBA boss

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Original article by Glenda Korporaal, Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 30-Jan-18

The head of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s retail banking division, Matt Comyn, will succeed Ian Narev as CEO in April. His remuneration will be 15 per cent lower, with a base salary of $A2.2m plus short-term and long-term incentives. Comyn’s appointment follows a global search for Narev’s successor, and CBA chair Catherine Livingstone says Comyn had the board’s full support. CBA’s retail banking division has attracted scrutiny over a money-laundering scandal, but Livingstone stresses that it was a company-wide issue.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, FINANCE SECTOR UNION, BERRILL AND WATSON, COMMINSURE

ASIC slams banks over funds failure

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Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 15 & 18 : 25-Jan-18

A review of the financial advice industry by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission has focused on the four major banks and AMP, which collectively dominate the sector. The review concluded that there is a high level of non-compliance with laws requiring financial advisers to act in the best interests of their clients, with a majority of financial advisers recommending the banks’ own financial products rather than other ones on their approved product list. Financial planners will be subject to greater transparency with regard to approved product lists as a result of the review.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIAN CONSUMERS’ ASSOCIATION

Banking inquiry to start next month

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Original article by Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 18 : 23-Jan-18

The banking royal commission will hold its first public hearing on 12 February, while its website has begun accepting submissions about alleged misconduct in the financial services industry. The Consumer Action Law Centre has made the first of two submissions, in which it has called upon the royal commission to focus on misconduct that affects disadvantaged consumers in particular. Meanwhile, Craig Williams of Citigroup has downgraded the Commonwealth Bank to a "sell" recommendation in the wake of its money-laundering scandal.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, CONSUMER ACTION LAW CENTRE, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA