UPDATE 5-NZ delivers first rate cut in over 4 years and flags more easing, kiwi tumbles RBNZ cuts rates by 25 bps to 5.25%, first easing in over 4 yrs RBNZ flags more cuts ahead, taking rate to 3.85% end-2025 Kiwi dlr tumbles as markets bet on more aggressive easing path Market pricing sees policy rate near 3.0% by end of 2025 Adds more comments from economist, quote from governor By Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON, Aug 14 (Reuters) - New Zealand's central bank slashed its benchmark rate for the first t

RPT-BUZZ-COMMENT-RBNZ may opt for dovish hold but a cut won't surprise Repeats with no changes Aug 13 (Reuters) - The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is expected to leave its official cash rate (OCR) at 5.5% on Wednesday while paving the way for an easing in October but a cut would not surprise given softening inflation, slowing growth and the central bank's propensity to up-end expectations.

BUZZ-COMMENT-RBNZ may opt for dovish hold but a cut won't surprise Aug 13 (Reuters) - The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is expected to leave its official cash rate (OCR) at 5.5% on Wednesday while paving the way for an easing in October but a cut would not surprise given softening inflation, slowing growth and the central bank's propensity to up-end expectations.

PREVIEW-Australia's CBA faces market dominance test as lower annual earnings loom Credit losses, costs to weigh on CBA CBA FY24 profit to fall below A$10 bln Aussie business lending upbeat despite high rates More rate hikes will harm asset quality - Citi By Roushni Nair Aug 13 (Reuters) - Commonwealth Bank of Australia CBA.AX , the country's biggest lender, is expected to unveil a small decline in annual earnings on Wednesday, with investors focused on whether rising deposit payouts and bad loan

Investment funds pour into Australian banks; caution on miners By Aaditya GovindRao Aug 12 (Reuters) - Australian financial stocks are ruling the roost on the traditionally miners-led local main index, fueled by growing interest from equity funds that are wary of the commodity-backed sector due to poor Chinese demand. The financial sub-index .AXFJ , composed chiefly of the biggest lenders in the region, has risen more than 15% this year.

Australia, NZ dollars digest gains as risk returns to the menu By Wayne Cole SYDNEY, Aug 9 (Reuters) - The Australian and New Zealand dollars were looking to end a wild week with solid gains on Friday as U.S. recession worries waned for a moment, allowing risk assets to make a comeback. An unexpectedly sharp drop in U.S. jobless claims was enough to see Wall Street bounce and the Nikkei extend its rally from Monday's dizzying decline, pulling the safe-haven yen down in the process.

BUZZ-Australian bank Westpac slips after JPM downgrades to 'underweight' ** Shares of Australian bank Westpac WBC.AX down 1% to A$27.54 ** Analysts at JP Morgan downgrade stock to "underweight" from "neutral"; keeps PT at A$25 ** Brokerage says stock is very expensive and the bank may face greater margin pressure in fiscal 2025-2026 ** Says Westpac

UPDATE 1-Australia's Westpac closes RAMS Financial to new home loans amid regulator scrutiny Recasts paragraph 1; adds share moves, details from paragraph 2 onwards Aug 6 (Reuters) - Westpac WBC.AX will be shutting down its under-scrutiny RAMS Financial business to new home loans immediately, the Australian bank said on Tuesday, but it would continue to retain the ongoing loans under the unit that it had earlier tried to sell.

BRIEF-Westpac Closes RAMS To New Business, Retains Existing Loans Aug 6 (Reuters) - Westpac Banking Corp WBC.AX : WESTPAC CLOSES RAMS TO NEW BUSINESS, RETAINS EXISTING LOANS HAS COMPLETED ITS STRATEGIC REVIEW OF RAMS FINANCIAL GROUP PTY LIMITED WILL FURTHER SIMPLIFY ITS BUSINESS BY CLOSING RAMS TO NEW HOME LOAN APPLICATIONS FROM TODAY WILL RETAIN R

Australia's Westpac closes RAMS Financial to new home loans amid regulator scrutiny Aug 6 (Reuters) - Westpac Banking WBC.AX will not be accepting new applications under its home loan division RAMS Financial Group, which has been under intense regulatory scrutiny for possible credit card violations, the Australian lender said on Tuesday. Reporting

BRIEF-Westpac Announces Redemption Of Outstanding Westpac Capital Notes 6 Aug 1 (Reuters) - Westpac Banking Corp WBC.AX : REDEMPTION OF OUTSTANDING WESTPAC CAPITAL NOTES 6 Further company coverage: WBC.AX

BRIEF-Redemption Of Outstanding Westpac Capital Notes 6 July 31 (Reuters) - Westpac Banking WBC.AX : REDEMPTION OF OUTSTANDING WESTPAC CAPITAL NOTES 6-WBC.AX Further company coverage: WBC.AX

Australia govt sells A$11.5 bln in new 2035 bond SYDNEY, July 24 (Reuters) - The Australian government's debt management arm said on Wednesday that it had sold A$11.5 billion ($7.58 billion) of a new 2035 Treasury bond in a syndicated offer. The Australian Office of Financial Management (AOFM) said the 4.25% Dec. 21, 2035 Treasury bond was priced at a yield to maturity of 4.425%.

BRIEF-Westpac Confirms No Impact From Global Outages To Any Westpac Customer Facing Applications July 19 (Reuters) - Westpac Banking Corp WBC.AX : NO IMPACT FROM GLOBAL OUTAGES TO ANY WESTPAC CUSTOMER FACING APPLICATIONS Further company coverage: WBC.AX

UPDATE 2-Australian regulator halves Westpac's $670.5 mln operational risk capital add-on Reduction to boost CET1 ratio by 18 bps - Westpac WBC shares fall 1.3%, benchmark index down 1% Updates with background throughout, share moves, analyst comment By Roshan Thomas July 19 (Reuters) - Australia's prudential regulator halved on Friday the A$1 billion ($670.50 million) operational risk capital add-on it had imposed on Westpac WBC.AX in 2019 after identifying problems in the bank's risk governanc

Australia removes Westpac's $335 mln operational capital add-on requirement July 19 (Reuters) - An Australian regulator said on Friday it has reduced by A$500 million the A$1 billion ($670.50 million) capital add-on it had imposed on Australia's Westpac WBC.AX in 2019 over identifying higher operational risk in the bank's risk governance self-assessment.

BRIEF-Australia's APRA Reduces Westpac's Operational Risk Capital Add-On By A$500 Mln July 19 (Reuters) - The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority: REDUCES WESTPAC'S OPERATIONAL RISK CAPITAL ADD-ON BY A$500 MILLION REMAINING A$500 MILLION CAPITAL ADD-ON TO REMAIN UNTIL WESTPAC COMPLETES TRANSITION AND APRA UNDERTAKES VALIDATION WORK Further c

NZ dollar perks up on high domestic inflation but rate cuts seen intact SYDNEY, July 17 (Reuters) - The New Zealand dollar perked up on Wednesday as domestically-driven inflation remained high, although headline figures eased to a three-year low and markets are sticking to bets of about three rate cuts by the end of the year. New Zealand's consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.4% in the second quarter, below forecasts of a 0.5% increase.

Australian shares retreat as Rio Tinto leads miners lower Rio hits 4-month trough, closes 2.5% lower Banks rise for sixth consecutive session NZ's Q2 inflation data due on Wednesday Updates to close By Sherin Sunny July 16 (Reuters) - Australian shares slipped on Tuesday from a record closing high in the previous session, as Rio Tinto led mining stocks lower after reporting second-quarter iron ore shipments below analyst estimates, while caution also set in ahead of June jobs data.

BRIEF-Australia's ASIC Says Big Banks To Refund Millions In Fees To Low-Income Customers July 15 (Reuters) - Australia's ASIC - BIG BANKS TO REFUND MILLIONS IN FEES TO LOW-INCOME CUSTOMERS FOLLOWING ASIC REPORT ASIC REVIEW REVEALED FOUR AUSTRALIAN BANKS SYSTEMICALLY CHARGED HIGH FEES TO BANK CUSTOMERS ON LOW INCOMES BANK CUSTOMERS ON LOW INCOMES, I