Australia Financial

Western Australia’s last homegrown bricks-and-mortar lender, P&N Bank, has entered a period of reflection after its second major merger attempt in 18 months collapsed.

The Federal Court of Australia has ordered BPS Financial to pay $14 million in penalties following a protracted legal battle over the unlicensed promotion and operation of its "Qoin Wallet" crypto product.

Fintech firm Plenti Group (ASX:PLT) has surpassed its $3 billion loan portfolio target as of January, achieving the strategic milestone well ahead of its March deadline.

Change Financial (ASX:CCA) has upgraded its FY26 outlook after a strong first half, citing increased sales momentum and continued execution.

Euroz Hartleys (ASX:EZL) has reported strong unaudited results for the first half of the 2026 financial year, with net profit more than doubling compared to the previous corresponding period.

QuickFee (ASX:QFE) has reported a steady operational performance in its Q2 FY26 quarterly business update for the period ended Dec. 31, 2025, with group revenue of $4.2 million.

The Financial Sector Union has raised concerns over the Commonwealth Bank of Australia's (ASX:CBA) plan to stop hiring new employees under its Bankwest subsidiary.

Qube Holdings (ASX:QUB) has confirmed that Macquarie Asset Management has met the conditions outlined in their November 2025 exclusivity agreement.

The Finance Sector Union has sharply criticised People First Bank’s plan to close 15 more branches across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria.

Humm Group (ASX:HUM) has called on shareholders to vote against a board spill motion put forward by activist investors Raper Capital and Collins Street Asset Management.

Macquarie Group (ASX:MQG) has poached Westpac (ASX:WBC) treasurer Jo Dawson for the equivalent role, marking another high-profile move in an intensifying talent shake-up across Australia's major banks.

Investment management firm GQG Partners saw its funds under management fall by US$2.2 billion in December 2025, as net outflows for the year more than doubled.