Sydney, Jan 8, 2026, 17:13 AEDT — Market closed
- ANZ shares closed up 0.7% at A$35.68 after two straight declines
- RBA deputy governor said inflation above 3% is “too high” despite a softer November read
- Traders now look to quarterly CPI on Jan. 28 and the RBA decision on Feb. 3
ANZ Group Holdings shares rose 0.7% to end at A$35.68 on Thursday, recovering a slice of the prior session’s slide as rate expectations swung back into view. Volume was about 4.1 million shares.
The move followed comments from Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser, who said November’s inflation slowdown was “helpful” but largely expected. “Inflation above 3% — let’s be clear, it’s too high,” Hauser said in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Reuters
Why it matters now: Australia’s big banks trade day-to-day on interest-rate odds because rates feed through to net interest margins — the spread between what lenders earn and what they pay for funding. Data on Wednesday showed annual CPI inflation slowed to 3.4% in November, but the trimmed mean — a core measure that strips out price extremes — stayed sticky at 3.2%, keeping a February hike in play.
Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 closed up 0.3% at 8,720 on Thursday, according to ABC market coverage. The same blog cited Bloomberg market pricing showing the implied chance of a February hike eased to about 30% by the afternoon.
For ANZ investors, the push and pull is familiar: higher rates can support lending margins, but they can also squeeze borrowers and lift bad debts if the economy slows. The bank is also exposed to mortgage competition, where pricing can undercut any benefit from a higher cash rate.
ANZ has flagged margin pressure before, while signalling a renewed focus on costs under CEO Nuno Matos, after the bank reported a drop in annual cash earnings in its last full-year result.
On the chart, traders have been watching the mid-A$35 area after ANZ ended Wednesday at A$35.43, with recent trading topping out near A$36.01 in that session.
Beyond macro, the next scheduled company marker is ANZ’s interim report, pencilled in for May 7, according to Market Index’s calendar.
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