Why is the ANZ share price tumbling on Wednesday?

Is CBA dragging down the ANZ share price today?

| More on:
A man holds his hand under his chin as he concentrates on his laptop screen and reads about the ANZ share price

Image source: Getty Images

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is taking another turn for the worse so far this Wednesday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 has lost a disappointing 0.7%, putting the index down to around 7,380 points. But the ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) share price is faring even worse.

ANZ shares are having a clanger today. The ASX 200 bank share has tumbled by a nasty 2.3% and is back down to $25.14 a share. This latest drop means that ANZ stock has now fallen close to 3% since last Thursday:

So what's going on with this big four bank today that has ANZ shares so vastly underperforming the broader market?

Well, there are a few things that could be contributing to these losses.

Why is the ANZ share price having such a woeful Wednesday?

Firstly, most ASX 200 bank shares are down today, so it's not just ANZ shares feeling the pain.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares are down by 2.34% at present. The Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price is down by 2.9%, while Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) has lost a notable 3.35%.

On the latter, CBA actually reported its half-year results for the six months ending 31 December 2022 this morning.

As we covered at the time, CBA reported a 12% rise in operating income to $13.59 billion, while cash net profits rose 9% to $5.15 billion. Commonwealth Bank also reported an 18 basis point lift to its net interest margin, bringing it to 2.1%.

This enabled CBA to announce a $1 billion increase to its share buyback program, as well as a 20% hike to its interim dividend to $2.10 per share.

But investors must have been hoping to see better numbers. As my Fool colleague posited this morning, perhaps investors are concerned that CBA's net interest margins have already peaked.

So with such a negative reaction from the markets to CBA's numbers this morning, it was always going to be hard for ANZ shares to eke out a gain today.

We also had some news out of ANZ itself which could be playing a role here too. The bank announced a new capital notes offer this morning, with the intention of raising $1 billion to "help meet its capital requirements"

So it's likely that a combination of these events is responsible for the disappointing ANZ share price performance we are seeing this Wednesday. Even so, this big four bank remains up by a healthy 8.9% in 2023 so far.

At the current ANZ share price, this ASX 200 bank share has a trailing dividend yield of 5.8%.

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in National Australia Bank. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Westpac Banking. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

More on Bank Shares

Small girl giving a fist bump with a piggy bank in front of her.
Bank Shares

$5,000 invested in ANZ shares at the start of 2025 is now worth…

The big 4 bank's shares have climbed higher recently.

Read more »

Smiling man holding Australian dollar notes, symbolising dividends.
Bank Shares

How many CBA shares do I need to buy for $1,000 of annual passive income?

Here’s what it would take to make $1,000 of annual income from the biggest bank.

Read more »

Nervous customer in discussions at a bank.
Bank Shares

Is there opportunity in 2026 outside the big four bank shares?

Do you own these bank shares?

Read more »

Gold piggy bank on top of Australian notes.
Bank Shares

Want to know how much CBA is expected to grow profit in FY26?

Will FY26 be an even more profitable year for CBA?

Read more »

A woman wearing a yellow shirt smiles as she checks her phone.
Bank Shares

$5,000 in CBA shares at the start of 2025 is now worth…

Has Australia's largest bank delivered the goods for investors this year?

Read more »

Construction worker in hard hat pumps fist in front of high-rise buildings.
Resources Shares

Why this fundie is backing ASX mining shares over banks in 2026

Wilson Asset Management lead portfolio manager Matthew Haupt explains his views.

Read more »

Higher interest rates written on a yellow sign.
Broker Notes

How will interest rate hikes impact the big four ASX banks like CBA shares?

If the RBA hikes interest rates in 2026, what will that mean for ANZ, Westpac, NAB, and CBA shares?

Read more »

Bank building in a financial district.
Bank Shares

Why is everyone talking about NAB shares on Friday?

NAB shares are grabbing ASX investor interest today. But why?

Read more »