North Ward data published by AFR

The Financial Review published some data on the trading performance of selected franchises of Bank of Queensland as at February 2007, and which illustrates the curiously successful efforts of the bank's North Ward branch in Townsville.

The North Ward branch of BOQ, (and as with a nearby branch of Commonwealth Bank) is allegedly at the centre of the ready (and reckless) supply of margin loans and home loans to investors that followed the advice of Storm Financial, which collapsed earlier this year.

The collapse of Storm has generated plenty of heat over the lending practices of the two banks. CBA has put in place measures to mediate disputes and defer interest payments though in the main BOQ has not taken similar action.

The North Ward branch of the bank reported lending growth of $62 million in February 2007, the newspaper reported (though the time period covered by its table is unclear). The branch's lending growth was almost twice as high as the next highest for other, selected BOQ franchised branches in north Queensland listed by the AFR.

Rates of deposit growth and loan growth at the branch were also more than twice as high as other branches in the region.