Economic Analysis 11 February 2026 - 27 March 2026

Westpac Banking Corporation Earnings Preview: $75 Million RAMS Hit, RBA Rate Hike and Bad-Debt Watch
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Westpac Banking Corporation Earnings Preview: $75 Million RAMS Hit, RBA Rate Hike and Bad-Debt Watch

Westpac Banking Corp faces its half-year earnings with investors zeroing in on credit costs, after energy-market turmoil sparked by the Middle East conflict forced the lender to lift provisions and dented Treasury and Markets revenue. Reuters, calling Westpac Australia’s second-largest bank by assets, noted that its provisions for possible bad loans are now sitting at their highest level since the COVID-19 era. It’s a tricky overlap. Westpac plans to unveil its first-half 2026 numbers at 10 a.m. Tuesday, right as investors are bracing for the Reserve Bank of Australia’s latest rates decision.
May 1, 2026
Iran War Slams Markets Again: Oil Tops $110, Bonds Sell Off, Nasdaq Deepens Correction
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Iran War Slams Markets Again: Oil Tops $110, Bonds Sell Off, Nasdaq Deepens Correction

Stocks worldwide slid Friday, with Wall Street starting in the red. Brent crude, meanwhile, pushed past $110 a barrel again. President Donald Trump extended the deadline for Iran to resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, but investors remained unconvinced. This shift is drawing attention because both stocks and government bonds are under pressure—investors are unloading both, hinting at nerves over a lasting, energy-fueled inflation shock instead of just a fleeting geopolitical jolt. The strait remains restricted. Rate cuts in the U.S.? Traders are nearly ruling them out. Officials, meanwhile, on both sides of the Atlantic, are sounding alarms about the risk of slower growth and mounting prices.
March 27, 2026
Commonwealth Bank of Australia Stock Price: CBA Shares Enter a Key Week After RBA Hike and Oil Shock
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Commonwealth Bank of Australia Stock Price: CBA Shares Enter a Key Week After RBA Hike and Oil Shock

Commonwealth Bank of Australia shares slipped 0.97% to A$175.64 by Friday’s close, with the lender underperforming into Monday’s session. Investors have another stretch of rate and inflation surprises to contend with, but CBA fared better than NAB, Westpac and ANZ on the day. This is significant: CBA holds its spot as Australia’s biggest lender, and Friday’s A$943.4 million turnover underscored just how closely the market keeps tabs on it. The Reserve Bank’s latest rate hike, paired with renewed oil jitters over the weekend, has thrown investors back into the mix—debating if higher rates will boost bank margins more than they squeeze borrowers and strain households.
March 22, 2026