Sydney, January 16, 2026, 17:25 AEDT — Markets have closed.
- ANZ closed Friday up 0.54% at A$37.52, outpacing the wider market.
- Bank shares surged, driven by moves in U.S. financials and changing interest rate dynamics.
- Upcoming triggers: Australia’s CPI release on Jan. 28, followed by the RBA meeting scheduled for Feb. 2-3.
ANZ Group Holdings Ltd ASX:ANZ closed Friday up 0.54% at A$37.52, with buyers stepping back into bank shares to wrap the week. The stock fluctuated between A$37.25 and A$37.64, ending 20 cents higher than the previous close.
Timing is crucial since big banks continue to dominate the Australian market, and their shares often jump around as rate expectations shift. Traders are focused on figuring out how the gap between what banks earn on loans versus what they pay on deposits will evolve, especially now that inflation data and central bank announcements are imminent.
The S&P/ASX 200 closed Friday up 0.48% at 8,903.9, boosted by a roughly 1% gain in financials as miners pulled back after recent strength, AAP reported. IG market analyst Tony Sycamore attributed the lift to U.S. bank earnings driving interest in local financials, noting there’s still “some value to be had.” Westpac rose 1.8%, while Commonwealth Bank added 0.5%. Kyabram Free Press
ANZ flagged an employee-equity housekeeping item midweek. An Appendix 3H notice — a standard ASX form for reporting lapsed or cancelled securities — revealed 4,977 unquoted options under code ANZAA ceased on Nov. 22, 2025, citing “other” reasons. NZX Market Announcements
ANZ raised top rates on its main savings accounts by 10 basis points, or 0.10 percentage point, in an unexpected move, pushing the headline rate to 4.25%, according to Canstar. Sally Tindall, Canstar’s data insights director, said the boost “will be welcome” for savers but cautioned against expecting a surge of similar increases. Canstar
Fixed mortgage rates took a different turn at competitors. Commonwealth Bank hiked owner-occupier fixed mortgage rates by as much as 0.7 percentage points. Macquarie also nudged up fixed loan rates by 0.25 percentage points across all terms, according to a TradingView news report.
The trade can shift quickly. A hotter inflation figure would boost bets on an RBA rate hike and spark concerns over credit demand and bad debts. At the same time, tougher competition for deposits could squeeze bank profits, even if loan growth remains steady.
The market remains closed until Monday, leaving the next major domestic focus on the Consumer Price Index for December 2025, set for release on Jan. 28 at 11:30 a.m. AEDT.
The Reserve Bank board is set to meet on Feb. 2-3, with ANZ and its competitors closely watching for any changes to rate forecasts ahead of early February.
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