Sydney, Feb 16, 2026, 17:02 AEDT — After-hours
- CBA bounced back, closing 1.2% higher at A$178.28 following Friday’s decline.
- Feb. 18 marks the ex-dividend day, and shareholders are set to receive an interim dividend of A$2.35 on March 30.
- Next up: RBA minutes drop Feb. 17, with wages data following on Feb. 18.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA.AX) climbed 1.18% to finish at A$178.28 on Monday, bouncing back after sliding 1.42% last Friday. Shares have gained roughly 12% since Feb. 6, according to recent close data. (Investing)
Timing’s key here. CBA, a market heavyweight, is heading into a packed stretch for rates and dividends—a period that often pulls the bigger market with it due to its sheer size in portfolios. The ASX 200 eked out a small gain, closing up roughly 0.22%. (Trading Economics)
Action in the big four bank names split. ANZ Group Holdings shed 3.03%, National Australia Bank dropped 1.02%. Westpac inched 0.22% higher. CBA stood out—top performer among the major lenders this day. (Investing)
Coming up soon: the dividend cut-off. CBA will trade ex-dividend on Feb. 18, with an interim payout of A$2.35 per share, fully franked. Payment is set for March 30, according to Market Index’s calendar. Buying on or after the ex-dividend date means missing out on this dividend; “franked” here refers to Australian tax credits. (Market Index)
Macro’s in focus again. The Reserve Bank of Australia will release minutes from its February meeting on Feb. 17, with the Wage Price Index out of the national statistics bureau following on Feb. 18. Westpac economists, in a note, pointed to both those events—and fresh labour-market figures—as the main local catalysts on their radar this week. (Reserve Bank of Australia)
CBA is still working through last week’s numbers, which put an early mark on the sector. The bank posted record first-half cash earnings of A$5.45 billion and set an interim dividend at A$2.35. Gains in lending and deposit market share were highlighted, though margin pressure remains thanks to stiff competition, according to Reuters. “Growth in the business bank” was the key takeaway, especially paired with mortgage performance, said Michael Haynes of Atlas Funds Management. (Reuters)
Rates are still the key variable for both bank valuations and credit risk. Earlier this month, the RBA bumped the cash rate to 3.85%, and Governor Michele Bullock told Reuters the central bank stands ready to hike again “if inflation becomes entrenched”. (Reuters)
Still, there’s a snag for CBA bulls. The stock trades at a premium, making it vulnerable if new signs emerge that intense mortgage competition is squeezing sector margins or that rising rates push arrears higher. Just last week, Westpac flagged ongoing margin pressure—even after reporting a stronger profit—highlighting how fierce the battle for pricing has gotten among lenders. (Reuters)
The dividend introduces a technical hitch. When the stock hits its ex-dividend date, its price typically falls by about the same amount as the payout. That drop reflects the fact that buyers after this day aren’t entitled to the cash dividend anymore.
Coming up, there’s a dense stretch of events: RBA minutes land Tuesday (Feb. 17), then wages data and CBA’s ex-dividend day hit on Wednesday (Feb. 18). After that, it’ll be a question of how those numbers shift rate pricing and bank sentiment as the week winds down.
