UPDATE: ASB lifts annual profit 8% but says underlying growth was subdued

Wed, 07 Aug 2019

(Adds further comment and reworks story throughout, corrects transposition of CBA’s net profit) By Jenny Ruth Aug. 7 (BusinessDesk) - ASB Bank’s chief executive says she’s more focused on forward business conditions than on resting on the laurels of producing an 8 percent annual profit increase at the same time as the Australian parent reported an 8 percent fall in earnings. “It’s pleasing that we have a more positive economic environment here in New Zealand,” says Vittoria Shortt, noting that Australia’s GDP growth is 1.8 percent whil...

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