ANZ in a bind

Readers may have spotted commentary about ANZ had released results recently which showed it was under greater pressure than some of its rivals (including CBA which managed to scoop up Bankwest for a song).  And not surprisingly come the job cuts...

...Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. (ANZ), Australia’s third-largest bank by market value, plans to cut about 50 jobs in institutional and international banking as lenders trim costs amid weak credit demand....Australian banks have relied on staff and pay cuts to protect profit as they confront the weakest demand for home lending since 1977. In 2012, ANZ announced plans to shed 1,000 jobs by September of that year as part of Chief Executive OfficerMichael Smith’s efforts to offset slumping loan growth (here)

But in fact all banks are trimming...

...Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the nation’s biggest lender by market value, will freeze base salaries for people making A$150,000 or more in its institutional banking and markets division, an internal memo showed in July....Westpac Banking Corp. (WBC), eliminated more than 500 roles early last year. National Australia Bank Ltd., is scheduled to brief investors on its technology program and its cost management plans on March.13.