
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd <ANZ.AX> missed market expectations for second-half profit on Thursday amid record low interest rates and tough competition for home loans, but said it expected higher mortgage demand this fiscal year.
Australia's fourth-largest lender reported a near 3% drop in second-half cash profit to A$2.91 billion ($2 billion), driven by remediation charges, a sharp drop in revenue and an 8 basis point fall in net interest margins, a key measure of profitability.