ANZ shares reacted with a 3.3% fall, with the other Big Four banks all in the red, declining between 1.1% and 1.3%. Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index ended 0.4% lower, hurt by the slide in financials - the largest component of the benchmark. The index lost 26 points to 6,663.4, and is down for the month, despite gaining for much of it. Qantas Airways dropped 2.6% after it discovered cracks on one of its planes. In New Zealand, the benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index was little changed, closing at 10,787.82.

Copyright Reuters, 2019