Sydney, Feb 7, 2026, 16:48 AEDT — Market closed
- Macquarie shares slipped in the previous session, with investors reacting to a partial regulatory reprieve for the group’s banking arm.
- The asset management arm landed a pair of UK utility-infrastructure deals back-to-back.
- Attention is now on Tuesday’s operational briefing, where traders are looking for fresh details on capital, risk controls, and what’s next for the outlook.
Macquarie Group Ltd (MQG.AX) slipped for a third day, finishing Friday at A$207.83, down 2.17%. Shares shed A$4.61 as the broader Australian market headed lower ahead of the weekend. 1
Australia’s prudential regulator has cut back two liquidity “add-ons” — additional requirements that push a bank to expect larger cash outflows and keep more liquid assets on hand — saying Macquarie Bank has tightened up its controls since the reporting and liquidity breaches of 2021 and 2022. 2
Timing’s key here. Investors are weighing just how much room Macquarie has with that partial relief—and what it does to the risk calculus heading into another week that’s likely to be volatile.
Macquarie reported that APRA has lowered the net cash outflow add-on for its Liquidity Coverage Ratio—a key 30-day liquidity gauge—to 15% from 25%. The regulator also scrapped the 1% adjustment on Macquarie’s Net Stable Funding Ratio, which looks at longer-term funding stability. No adjustments were made to the A$500 million operational risk capital overlay. 3
The ASX 200 lost 2% to finish at 8,709 on Friday, with every sector sliding into negative territory, according to ABC. “Panic is spreading,” MooMoo Australia analyst Michael McCarthy said, describing the across-the-board drop as rare. 4
Elsewhere, Macquarie Asset Management announced that its managed funds have struck a deal to acquire Energy Assets Group, a UK-based operator running 1.8 million advanced and smart meters along with 148,000 grid connections. “EAG owns and operates long-term energy infrastructure,” said Will Price, who heads utilities and networks for EMEA at Macquarie Asset Management. 5
Elsewhere, Macquarie Asset Management’s funds are set to acquire the remaining 50% of Last Mile Infrastructure from Infracapital, moving to full control of the business. Mark Chladek, Infracapital’s deputy CIO, noted Last Mile has “quadrupl[ed] its live connections base” since their initial investment back in 2018. 6
Asterion Industrial Partners, a seller in the Energy Assets Group deal, expects the transaction to wrap up in the third quarter of 2026, pending regulatory sign-off, including clearance from the UK Competition and Markets Authority. 7
Still, for Macquarie’s stock, the immediate focus stays on how well management delivers and keeps oversight tight. APRA’s message: don’t expect more leniency until all fixes are locked in and working. Then there are the UK deals, where standard closing and regulatory hurdles linger—the sort that can stretch out, especially with markets on edge.
Macquarie’s operational briefing lands Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 10:00 a.m. AEDT. As markets come back online Monday, traders are keen for updates—compliance moves, capital settings, and what’s in store for the core businesses. 8
