Sydney, Jan 12, 2026, 17:16 AEDT — Market closed.
- ANZ climbed 1.2%, with Australia’s big four banks all pushing higher as the ASX 200 gained ground.
- A director-interest notice revealed chairman Paul O’Sullivan purchased ANZ shares at an average price of A$35.92.
- Rate bets have returned following robust spending figures, as key local data drops later this month.
ANZ Group Holdings (ASX:ANZ) shares climbed 1.2% to A$35.89 on Monday, topping the gains among Australia’s big four banks as the market hit its highest level since Christmas Eve. The S&P/ASX 200 benchmark added 0.48%, with NAB up 1.5%, CBA rising 0.6%, and Westpac gaining 0.5%. Sentiment was boosted by a stronger Wall Street, while Interactive Brokers senior economist Jose Torres noted that the U.S. jobs data suggested the cycle “has legs.”
The key factor for bank investors is the local rate outlook. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed household spending rose 1.0% in November to A$79.4 billion, with annual growth accelerating to 6.3%. Capital Economics economist Abhijit Surya said this would “set the alarm bells off” for the Reserve Bank of Australia. Interest-rate swaps, which reflect policy expectations, currently price in a 25% chance of a February hike and about 30 basis points of tightening in 2026 (a basis point equals 0.01 percentage point). 1
Inflation signals are back in focus for bank traders. The RBA’s Monetary Policy Board meets Feb. 2–3, with its decision statement set for Feb. 3. Meanwhile, the ABS plans to release December-quarter 2025 CPI data on Jan. 28 — a key figure that could shift forecasts for borrowing costs and bank margins, which measure the spread between loan earnings and deposit expenses.
ANZ has expanded its partnership with Tennis Australia, securing the title of official bank of the Australian Open in a multi-year deal. The bank and Tennis Australia introduced the “ANZ Arena” at Melbourne & Olympic Park. ANZ’s Mark Whelan described the Open as “one of Australia’s most iconic events” and said the new venue will provide “a world-class experience.” 2
A separate filing revealed ANZ chairman Paul Dominic O’Sullivan purchased 3,300 ordinary shares on Jan. 6, paying an average of A$35.92 each. This raised his indirect stake to 39,950 shares. The notice classified the deal as an on-market trade.
Shares opened at A$35.40, fluctuating between A$35.28 and A$35.92 during the session. Around 3 million shares were traded, per Investing.com data. Trading remained steady and well-controlled.
Sponsorship deals seldom shift bank earnings by themselves. Investors tend to focus instead on loan growth, funding costs, and the scale of bad-debt charges once the rate cycle changes.
The downside risk remains. If rising rates pressure households or deposit competition intensifies, margins could shrink and credit losses climb. A stronger global risk-off shift wouldn’t help, even with steady domestic data.
ANZ’s half-year results arrive May 7, according to the lender’s investor calendar, with the full-year report set for Nov. 9.
Traders will eye fresh local data that could reshape rate expectations: building approvals for November drop Jan. 14, with the December labour force report set for Jan. 22. Either release has the potential to jostle bank shares ahead of the February RBA meeting.
