ASX Annual Profit Drops 3.6% on Policy Settings

By Alice Uribe

SYDNEY--ASX Ltd., Australia's dominant securities exchange, reported lower annual profit driven partly by the effects of the Australian central bank's current policy settings on short-end futures volumes.

Net profit fell by 3.6% to 480.9 million Australian dollars (US$348.1 million) in the 12 months through June from A$498.6 million the year before.

ASX's operating revenue climbed 1.4% to A$951.5 million, while underlying profit fell 6.4% to A$480.9 million.

"Strong listings and equity market activity, due in part to an ongoing surge in retail trading, were tempered by the effects of the Reserve Bank of Australia's current policy settings on both short-end futures volumes and interest income," said Chief Executive Dominic Stevens.

Directors of the company declared an interim dividend of A$1.112 a share, compared to a payout of A$1.225 a year earlier.

Write to Alice Uribe at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

08-18-21 1934ET