Westpac Pledges $100 Billion for Housing Lending

Westpac's fiscal 2026 net profit held almost flat even as Australia's oldest bank unveiled a pledge to channel $100 billion into housing-related lending by 2030. Net profit excluding notable items came in at $7.0 billion, matching the prior year, while statutory profit slipped 1% to $6.8 billion. The board kept the final dividend steady at 77 cents per share, fully franked. $WBK is leaning on a decade-long housing bet rather than rate cuts to drive its next leg of growth.